Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International

Media Organization Rejects Sexual Orientation Claim By Woman Who Fell In Love With Chandelier
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If you are ready for a break from pandemic news and favor of the purely bizarre, I give you the ruling on the complaint brought by Amanda Liberty.  The British woman brought complaint after she alleged that she was mocked after declaring her love for a 92-year-old German chandelier.  According to news reports, Liberty targeted an article in the Sun as violating protections for sexual orientation for mocking her love for Lumiere  Liberty identifies as an “objectum sexual” – an individual who is attracted to objects.  The complaint was rejected by the Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO), the largest independent regulator of the newspaper and magazine industry in the United Kingdom. The decision however raises an interesting legal question going forward, as discussed below

A British woman in a long-term relationship with a 92-year-old German chandelier has been told that her attraction to historic light fittings is not considered to be a protected sexual orientation.  She also objected to the Sun saying that she is married to the chandelier.  She insists that she is merely in a relationship though various papers reported on her plan to marry the chandelier.  

Now here is the interesting legal element.  The complaint was dismissed because the code only “provides protection to individuals in relation to their sexual orientation towards other persons and not to objects”. As a result her attraction to an object “did not fall within the definition of sexual orientation.”

This group of individuals are sometimes called “objectophiles” or mechanophiliacs.  While some have found nothing wrong psychologically, this ruling rejects such views as a real form of sexual orientation. OS is identified as a sexual orientation in scientific journals but it has also been associated with autism and synaesthesia.

So if it is recognized as sexual orientation, the question is whether its rejection can be challenged as a form of discrimination.  Moreover, there is the question of whether it constitutes a form of hate speech under UK laws.  We have previously discussed the alarming rollback on free speech rights in the West, particularly in France (here and here and here and here and here and here) and England ( here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). Much of this trend is tied to the expansion of hate speech and non-discrimination laws. Once allowed to criminalize speech, individuals and groups demand more and more prohibitions.  England is in a free fall over free speech.  The police have indicated that they are considering making wolf whistles the latest category of hate speech. We also have even seen comedians targeted with such court orders under this expanding and worrisome trend. (here and here).

Under these laws, statements found offensive by others can constitute criminal hate speech. An example is the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which states in pertinent part:

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, he—

(a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,

thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress.

…

(5) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

“Insulting” as a definition is particularly anathema for free speech advocates as so general to defy real limitation or definition. OS is a clear group of people who are being mocked in a way that the IPSO admitted was offensive. It would seem to lay the foundation for such a claim.

I have obviously been highly critical of these laws and this case is a good example of how social commentary can easily become criminalized speech.

46 thoughts on “Media Organization Rejects Sexual Orientation Claim By Woman Who Fell In Love With Chandelier”

  2. Poor thing. Maybe it’s the lead in the crystal.

    In any case, since she’s admitted her fixation is of a sexual nature, I hope the journalists were careful not to touch anything.

    Slippery slope.

  3. According to news reports, Liberty targeted an article in the Sun as violating protections for sexual orientation for mocking her love for Lumiere Liberty identifies as an “objectum sexual” – an individual who is attracted to objects.

    So long as Amanda Liberty’s electrical attraction to a chandelier continues to light up her life why should she give an ampere?

  5. Next up for the communist freak show, NAMBLA.

    Before our very eyes, the various foreign and exogenous cancers visited on America metastasize to the point of national expiration.

    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tQH79p5Ulk

      This one is for you, George. You will like this song, I promise.

      Hey! Hey! Women are going mad, today!
      Hey! Hey! Fellers are just as bad, I’ll say!
      Go anywhere, just stand and stare,
      You’ll say they’re bugs when you look at the clothes they wear.

      Masculine Women, Feminine Men,
      which is the rooster which is the hen?
      It’s hard to tell ’em apart today.
      And SAY…
      Sister is busy learning to shave,
      Brother just loves his permanent wave,
      It’s hard to tell ’em apart today.

      Just so you know, in history, some things never change, that is the state of mind of a human through their lifetime. Rinse, and repeat. 🤠

        1. I do hope you listened to the entire song, Uncle Joe, and Auntie Flo. 😆😂

          I just need some tap shoes to time step, or some swing dance shoes to Lindy Hop.

            1. Paul – Did you tell George that I moved in with you, and your wife. And I am a now a den dweller in your house. The lady cave. 😉

              1. Don’t worry too much, Paul. I applied to the Corona Relief Project for the next 6-12 months @ 19.00 bucks per hour. But so many ppl applied, and I was too late today for the 2nd batch of resumes. I’ll be in the 3rd batch, I assume, whenever that is.

                Long story, short. I won’t be bumming it in your house. I’ll have my remote caseworker job for the homeless intake. So, my new lady cave will be my office too.

              2. WW33 – there is not room to dance in MY den which you seem to be sharing. You will have to use the patio.

                1. Lol. 😆😂

                  Patio IT is for dance practice.

                  My tap skills are rusty and beginner, I only tapped from K-8th, thus use earplugs in the house.

                  Den for office work – possibly Corona Project/Homeless Intake.

                  I don’t think this pandemic is going away anytime soon, Paul.

                  Looks like I will be a den dweller for a long time. Hope your wife does not mind. I have a dog too. I hope no one has allergies. I might consider a cat too.

                  Or maybe the zoo in Germany wants to send me a few rescue animals. Since they want to feed zoo animals to other zoo animals. 😲😒🤐😤😧

                    1. WW33 – have you been to the Hearst Castle? Most of the animals were roaming wild. Last time I was there they were still seeing zebras.

                    2. Paul – I have been there 2x, once before they drained the pool, and then again after they drained the pool.

                      I never saw zebras, but I did look 👀 as they told us we might see some. It’s a pretty big piece of land.

                      Talk about luxury, that man, Hearst, shoved so many antiques into his house, it looks like a collage in some rooms.

                      The pool outside was nice, too bad that drained it. But understandable, the water came from a local spring.

                      I did get to stick my foot in while I was there 😉

                    3. WW33 – my wife and I took a train/bus tour to the Heart Castle. The guide really knew all the gossip, so we got loads of information before we got to the castle and then a special tour when we got there. It was a lot of fun. Had my first buffalo burger in San Luis Obispo.

                    4. Which btw the tour guide told us that when the pool was full, ppl would “accidentally” fall into it all the time and claim slippage. They just wanted to jump in, let’s be honest.

                    1. Paul – a Chow!? So much fur. I feel like it is too hot there for him/her. I guess your Chow stays in thr AC all day long. Or did you give your Chow a 🦁 hair ✂️?

                    2. WW33 – I have what is known as a smooth, they have less hair. That is the theory anyway. Vacuum cleaner cannot tell the difference.

                    3. I had to look up the difference. Fluffy dogs.

                      Haha, to the vacuum cleaner joke. I know the feeling, believe me. Taken apart one too many vacuums in my time. My latest quarantine feat was taking apart the AC unit and cleaning it and reassembling it.

  6. As long as her objectification of objects doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s rights, what’s it matter to me?

    Also, I just wanted to post something for Seth Warner to object to.

    1. Well, I think the point was that she was claiming special victim status, and that no one had the right to criticize her behavior. In that aspect, her case is about whether or not she may infringe on others’ free speech.

      She was an object of pity up until the point that she tried to get people punished for talking about it.

  7. The next thing we hear will be that her chandelier is receiving social security payments.

  8. There is also an ageism claim in here. I support this woman and her right to fall in love with the chandelier of her choice. She needs to appeal to a higher authority.

  9. Is this for real??? Or is someone pulling our leg??? Whichever, this lady needs an Irish Poem! Because can you imagine the effect on “What light through yonder window breaks???” and stuff like that???

    Lamp-poon???
    An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm

    There once was a silly a$$ Brit-
    Who fell in love with an “It”!
    Not tranny or neuter,
    But copper and pewter!
    How will this affect English Lit???

    Squeeky Fromm
    Girl Reporter

  11. I suspect she would have won her complaint if she had been in a relationship with a BRITISH light fixture. But falling for a German chandelier is an insult to lonely English light fixtures and warrants no sympathy for her.

  12. At least it stays hard and can heat up. She should be legally covered to get down with it as she sees fit. I’ve known more than a few women in love with their vibrators. It’s all good. Play on.

  14. Her favorite song: You Light Up My Life

    Her sex life: Electrifying

    When the bulbs grow dim she asks: Honey, watts the matter?

  15. Schizophrenia. Retards and wackos should be barred from filing any lawsuits.

  16. The goat ordered today his name be put on the checks being written out to people in need. The goat herders in Treasury complied.

    Goat thinks this will win him election. Meantime the goat’s family is profiteering of taxpayer money.

    1. Hutom:
      I suppose your comment might have some barnyard appeal when deciphered by the Dr. Doolittles out there but who’d want to waste their time on this hog wash written by sheeple running around like chickens with their heads cut off?

      1. Au contraire mon ami…..continuing the imagery….

        Huton-da-Wolf lies in wait like the opportunist he is to pounce on selfless animals.

  19. “A British woman in a long-term relationship with a 92-year-old German chandelier has been told that her attraction to historic light fittings is not considered to be a protected sexual orientation. She also objected to the Sun saying that she is married to the chandelier. She insists that she is merely in a relationship though various papers reported on her plan to marry the chandelier. “
    ***********************
    It’ll never work out. The age difference you know. But she does bring a sparkle to his eye.

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