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Abstract

I. Introduction . . . . . 1153

II. The Evolving Understanding of Sexual Harassment as a Form of Sex Discrimination . . . . . 1155

A. Recognition of Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment as Actionable Under Title VII: The Relevance of Desire . . . . . 1156

B. Recognition of Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment as a Form of Sex Discrimination: Sexual Desire, Sexual Conduct, and Conduct Based upon Sex . . . . . 1159

C. A Renewed Focus on the Requirement of Sex Discrimination: Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc . . . . . 1165

III. Sexual Harassment as a Form of Disparate Treatment. 1170

A. Introduction to Disparate Treatment and Disparate Impact . . . . . 1170

B. Oncale: Discrimination as Only Disparate Treatment . . . . . 1172

C. Proving Disparate Treatment in a Sexual Harassment Case . . . . . 1174

D. Pornography and Discussions About Sex as Disparate Treatment . . . . . 1179

IV. Analysis of Non-Targeted Workplace Sexual Conduct Under a Disparate Impact Approach . . . . . 1187

A. The Law of Disparate Impact Discrimination . . . . . 1187

B. A Facially Neutral Employment Practice . . . . . 1195

C. . . . that Causes a Disparate Impact on the Basis of Sex . . . . . 1207

1. Likelihood that Workplaces Will Include Facially Neutral Conduct that Has a Disparate Impact on Women . . . . . 1207

2. The Meaning of "Impact" in a Sexual Harassment Case . . . . . 1217

3. Proving Disparate Impact . . . . . 1221

a. Proving Disparate Impact in the Typical Case . . . . . 1221

b. Proving Disparate Impact in a Sexual Harassment Case . . . . . 1225

4. Another Approach to Proving Disparate Impact in a Sexual Harassment Case: Robinson v. Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. and Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co . . . . . 1231

D. . . . and Is Not Job Related or Consistent with Business Necessity . . . . . 1236

V. Potential Problems with Finding Non-Targeted Workplace Sexual Conduct Actionable . . . . . 1241

A. Conflict with the First Amendment . . . . . 1241

B. Overprotecting and Stigmatizing Women . . . . . 1246

C. Reemphasizing the "Sexual" in Sexual Harassment . . . . . 1253

D. A Practical Problem: No Jury Trials for Disparate Impact Claims . . . . . 1255

VI. Conclusion . . . . . 1256

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