Men's Equality

Celio Diaz Jr. was not interested in the glamorous image, the clothes or the chance to meet eligible, attractive men, but he did want to be the male version of a stewardess, an airline cabin attendant. He had his own reason: he simply wanted to fly round the world.

So Diaz asked Pan American for the job--and was turned down. Acting under a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was generally intended to provide equal rights for women, he then sued Pan Am. The airline, resting its case on an exception in the law, contended that the sex of a cabin attendant is a "bona fide occupational qualification," as it probably is for actors or actresses required to play male or female roles. Pan Am added that women were clearly better at "providing reassurance to anxious passengers, giving courteous personalized service and, in general, making flights as pleasurable as possible."

Last month, however, a three-judge federal appeals court in New Orleans gave Diaz a first-class victory, ruling that the exception applied only "when the essence of the business operation would be undermined."

Pan Am has petitioned for a rehearing; if it is denied, the airline will probably have to hire Diaz. He is now working for a Miami hotel and still wants to go to work for Pan Am--but only if the firm provides seniority and back pay dating from April 1967, when he was first rejected.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.