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| Alistair McKinley, avowed asexual |
Earlier this week, Alistair McKinley of
Clearwater, Florida, was accused of workplace harassment. His
offense? Not making sexual advances on co-workers. Now
McKinley, who was working as a bookkeeper for sex toy manufacturer
Blissful Vibes in nearby Tarpon Springs, is facing termination of
employment and what may be a lengthy court battle.
Grievances filed by fellow employees
allege that McKinley was aggressively asexual in the workplace. In
one instance, when approached by a female co-worker for a date,
McKinley allegedly told the woman "I would never date you, or
anyone!"
On another occasion, when a male
colleague in the accounting department overshared about his tendency
to rush into things too quickly with multiple female suitors,
McKinley referred to him as "you poor, sexually active bastard!"
According to eyewitnesses, he then added "you all struggle, you
know."
McKinley reportedly has a long history
of this behavior, according to a female co-worker who wished to
remain anonymous. In an incident in 2018, she claims she
propositioned him in the mail room, suggesting they help each other
try out a new motorized prosthetic phallus that Blissful Vibes had in
development. In what followed, McKinley allegedly forced himself off
of the woman.
McKinley faces a pending civil suit for
emotional damages caused to coworkers. Meanwhile, McKinley has
threatened countersuits against his accusers and employers, citing
discrimination based on his asexual orientation.
"It’s a landmark case," offered
Rex Rubinstein, the accusers’ lawyer. “But if he’s asexual,
what’s he doing at a sex toy manufacturer in the first place?”
Court proceedings against McKinley are
expected to begin in mid-February.
"Time will
tell," Rubinstein added, "whether or not this trial sets a new
precedent for combating this recent trend of overt sex-negativity in
the workplace."
