A Disturbing Peek Under the 'Tilted Kilt'
Another 'breastaurant' gets hit with another sexual harassment lawsuit
When I heard last week that 19 women had sued the Chicago franchise of a national chain called Tilted Kilt, known for its "scantily-clad kilt girls," I was not surprised.
I once visited the downtown faux-Irish pub and felt sorry for the young waitresses wearing ridiculous and uncomfortable-looking outfits, and the lone male customers who seemed to have nothing better to do than eat overpriced food and desperately seek attention from women who likely wouldn’t give them the time of day off the clock.
News of the lawsuit was gratifying, but reading the actual complaint was disturbing. The conditions alleged by the women at the restaurant do sound "outrageous" and "extreme" as the lawsuit says. But the most disconcerting revelation, for me, was the fact that the charges apparently deal almost excusively with the behavior of one manager described as a "predator." The manager, Dennis Sotos, allegedly habitually grabbed women’s breasts and buttocks, propositioned them, loudly discussed pornography, dropped ice down their skirts and, in at least one case, used a straw to shoot water down a woman’s dress saying, "I’m trying to get your panties wet."
If even a fraction of the allegations are true, Sotos and the franchise's two co-owners, Athan Sotos and Chris Tomaras, clearly deserve a sexual harassment lawsuit. But the narrow focus on one manager’s behavior leaves the impression that the general atmosphere at Tilted Kilt is otherwise legal and acceptable.
The existence of other Tilted Kilt franchises, countless Hooters restaurants and other chains like the Missouri-based "Show-Me's" —so-called "breastaurants"—indicate that such establishments have become an entrenched part of American culture. But it's jarring that the lawsuit doesn't mention the institutionalized highly sexualized climate and demeaning behavior from customers that must undoubtedly be a regular occurrence.
Outrageous Womens Swimwear - News
The conditions alleged by the women at the restaurant do sound "outrageous" and "extreme" as the lawsuit says. But the most disconcerting revelation, for me, was the fact that the charges apparently deal almost excusively with the behavior of one
Frustrated by their experience traveling with their Jack Russell terrier, Zoe, Dan Wiesel — a former real estate developer and women's swimwear manufacturer — and his wife, Ms. Binder, wanted to offer a better way. “We got to thinking.