A former college student who was accused of rape and later sued his university after being suspended has landed a high-profile job at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Benjamin North, who maintained his innocence throughout the lawsuit, is now serving as an assistant general counsel at the agency.
North's case drew attention last year when he filed a federal lawsuit against Catholic University, alleging that it had discriminated against him in response to the rape allegation. The university eventually reached a settlement with North, agreeing not to enforce certain policies related to sexual misconduct.
Since then, North has become an outspoken advocate for men's rights and has argued that Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education, is often misused to target male students accused of sexual assault. He has also written op-eds criticizing the EEOC's handling of cases related to sex and gender.
North's appointment at the EEOC has raised concerns among some experts, who see his views as potentially hostile to the agency's mission to enforce anti-discrimination laws. "Given that we are the agency tasked with enforcing protections against sexual violence in the workplace, it sends a concerning signal to have hired somebody with his background," said an EEOC employee.
The EEOC has recently shifted its priorities under Chair Andrea Lucas, who has emphasized defending biological and binary reality of sex and rooting out "unlawful DEI-motivated" race and sex discrimination. However, the agency's actions have been met with criticism from some advocates for workers' rights and civil liberties groups.
North's appointment comes amid a broader trend of conservative voices being appointed to senior roles within the EEOC during the Trump administration. Last year, Lucas hired Shannon Royce, a longtime Christian conservative activist, as her chief of staff. Royce had previously sued the agency over its handling of cases related to trans workers and abortion care.
The EEOC's new direction under Lucas has been criticized by some for being too focused on issues like biological sex and religious bias, which some argue may undermine efforts to protect workers from discrimination based on their actual characteristics or experiences. The agency's actions have sparked debate about the role of politics in enforcing civil rights laws.
North's case drew attention last year when he filed a federal lawsuit against Catholic University, alleging that it had discriminated against him in response to the rape allegation. The university eventually reached a settlement with North, agreeing not to enforce certain policies related to sexual misconduct.
Since then, North has become an outspoken advocate for men's rights and has argued that Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education, is often misused to target male students accused of sexual assault. He has also written op-eds criticizing the EEOC's handling of cases related to sex and gender.
North's appointment at the EEOC has raised concerns among some experts, who see his views as potentially hostile to the agency's mission to enforce anti-discrimination laws. "Given that we are the agency tasked with enforcing protections against sexual violence in the workplace, it sends a concerning signal to have hired somebody with his background," said an EEOC employee.
The EEOC has recently shifted its priorities under Chair Andrea Lucas, who has emphasized defending biological and binary reality of sex and rooting out "unlawful DEI-motivated" race and sex discrimination. However, the agency's actions have been met with criticism from some advocates for workers' rights and civil liberties groups.
North's appointment comes amid a broader trend of conservative voices being appointed to senior roles within the EEOC during the Trump administration. Last year, Lucas hired Shannon Royce, a longtime Christian conservative activist, as her chief of staff. Royce had previously sued the agency over its handling of cases related to trans workers and abortion care.
The EEOC's new direction under Lucas has been criticized by some for being too focused on issues like biological sex and religious bias, which some argue may undermine efforts to protect workers from discrimination based on their actual characteristics or experiences. The agency's actions have sparked debate about the role of politics in enforcing civil rights laws.
... I mean, Benjamin North just landed a super important job at the EEOC but his views on sex and gender are kinda problematic 
. He thinks Title IX is often misused to target guys accused of rape, which is just not true in my opinion 
. And now he's gonna be part of the agency that's supposed to enforce anti-discrimination laws? It feels like a step back for me 
. I'm all about promoting equality and justice, but when people with these kinds of views are in positions of power, it can be really tough to know what's going on 
. The EEOC needs to focus on protecting people from actual discrimination, not just the kind that's based on who you are 
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it just feels like hes going to use this position to undermine the very laws thats meant to protect people from discrimination in the workplace. plus with chair andrea lucas pushing for a more conservative approach on issues like biological sex and religious bias, its creating a super polarized environment where not everyone feels safe or supported 
Benjamin North's views on Title IX and sex discrimination are kinda problematic, don't you think? 
Meanwhile, the EEOC is supposed to be about enforcing anti-discrimination laws, but with this new direction under Chair Lucas, it feels like they're playing politics instead of protecting workers' rights. 
I just hope they realize that sex discrimination isn't always about biological sex, you know? #SexIsNotABinary 
... I mean, who would hire someone with a history of rape allegations and a radical men's rights agenda to work for the EEOC? It's like inviting a fox to guard the henhouse 
. The agency's new direction under Chair Lucas is trying to balance protecting workers from discrimination, but this guy coming on board just throws everything into chaos. I guess you could say it's a perfect example of how not to enforce anti-discrimination laws 
. And with his history of suing universities over sexual misconduct allegations, it's hard to trust him on this issue 
. Can't help but wonder if politics are getting in the way of protecting workers from real discrimination 
.
. And now he's an advocate for men's rights and criticizing the EEOC's handling of sex and gender cases... it's like, isn't his own history a bit of a conflict of interest? 
. And don't even get me started on this shift towards "biological reality" and whatnot... it feels like they're trying to erase people's identities and experiences 
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. A guy who got accused of rape and then became a men's rights advocate gets a job at an agency that's supposed to protect people from discrimination? It just feels like he's getting away with something 
. It's like, can't we just focus on creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone? Not just the ones who are accused of doing something wrong? 
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. Until then, I'm just going to keep a close eye on this situation 
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[GIF of a hand waving goodbye with a red X marked through it]
[Image of an explosion with the words "EEOC drama" written in bold letters]
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and this just shows how far the conservatives have gotten in infiltrating these institutions. i'm all for due process and not jumping to conclusions but this guy's whole thing is that he was unfairly targeted as a male victim of rape... meanwhile women are still being harassed and assaulted and no one seems to care 
. I mean, come on, dude, you're an assistant general counsel? How about using your actual expertise to help people rather than spreading hate speech online