User:George Swan/Bikini controversy at Kolkata's St. Xavier's University

From Citizendium
< User:George Swan
Revision as of 20:35, 4 September 2022 by George Swan (talk | contribs) (more details)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

In August 2022 news broked that St. Xavier's University, located in Kolkata had either fired one of their professors, or forced her to resign, over concerns pictures of her in a bikini damages the University's reputation.[1] The University is run by the Roman Catholic Church's Jesuit order.

In 2021 an 18-year-old student's father complained when he caught his son looking at the Professor's bikini pictures.[1] Commentators expressed surprise over the University taking those complaints seriously. They pointed out that (1) the pictures were not in a public album, but rather in an album she shared with friends; (2) that the complainant's son was an adult, who didn't need parental protection; (3) that the images in question were quite tame, by today's standards; (4) the pictures predated her hiring by the University.

Accounts differ as to whether she was fired, or was forced to resign.[2][3] Chennai Memes reports that, not only was she terminated, but that the University demanded payment from her, claiming damage to its reputation. Chennai Memes reported she has counter-sued for wrongful termination.

The Professor questioned how the complainant and the University were able to access her photos, asking whether her account had been hacked.[3] She said she use a pair of photos of her, in a blue bikini, to illustrate an Instragram story. She said that, not only was the story only shared privately, it was the nature of instagram stories for them to expire, after 24 hours, so the image should not have been accessible to anyone, even those on her list of trusted associates, after that time.

The professor earned her undergraduate degree at St. Xavier.[4] Her subsequent degrees, including her PhD, were earned at Universities in Europe.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Niha Masih. An Indian professor posted a swimsuit photo. Then her life fell apart., Washington Post, 2022-09-04. Retrieved on 2022-09-04.
  2. Female Professor Terminated For Uploading Bikini Picture In Instagram !! University Demanded Rs. 99 Crore From Her, Chennai Memes, 2022-08-10. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. mirror
  3. 3.0 3.1 St Xavier’s Kolkata 'Forces' Prof to Quit as Students Looked at her Bikini Pictures on Instagram, News 18 (India), 2022-08-09. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “A former assistant professor at St Xavier’s University in Kolkata was allegedly asked to quit after a parent complained that he had noticed his son looking at photos of her in a bikini on Instagram.” mirror
  4. Woman professor sues Kolkata's St Xavier's University; says forced to quit over Insta pics, Business Today, 2022-08-10. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “The professor is also an alumna of St Xavier’s.”
Cite error: <ref> tag with name "outlookindia2022-08-10" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.