Department of Dubious Defenses: Calling women “hormonal messes” is just a cultural thing
A fun part of traveling is observing “cultural differences.” It’s okay to pick your nose in public in some parts of Kenya, to comment on someone’s significant weight gain in the Philippines, and to burp mid-meal in India. The practices may not be your cup of tea, but that’s the fun of exploring other cultures. But what about a culture of gender discrimination in the workplace?
A group of female hospital administrative staff have filed a lawsuit in Ohio against Summa Health Systems and Dr. Santosh Potdar alleging gender discrimination. Among their allegations against the doctor, from the complaint:
So we assume Potdar would prefer to have the hospital populated with Gaylord Fockers.
Our favorite part of this lawsuit is the defense put forth by the hospital, according to the plaintiffs. From the complaint:
Summa’s Human Resources Department told Plaintiffs that they were “working on it” and, at one point, they attributed Dr. Potdar’s treatment of women to “cultural” differences.
We’re unsure where Potdar is from — according to the press release announcing his arrival, he was previously head of a medical center in Pennsylvania — but apparently he’s been listening to too much Jay-Z. Summa has not yet filed an answer, but we do hope the hospital’s lawyers come up with a better defense than “cultural differences.”
Complaint from Summit County Clerk of Courts
Case Details [Summit County Clerk of Courts via Courthouse News Service]
(78) 
Comments
First, You Bunch of Bitches!
what a retard.
The plaintiffs should enter into a settlement: Potdar can call them "hormonal messes" if they can call him "curry-smelling monkey man".
That is all.
They are smelly pirate hookers, and I will punch them square in the ovary.
She used the world's largest crowbar for that Meet the Parents reference.
I've been to Pennsylvania, and he's not lying.
Basically, if a white person (especially a white b*tch like hill) says off colored and mildly offensive things, it's perfectly OK. But when an Indian does it he must hang.
Yo-yo-yo-yo -- word bitches.
- Flav
This guy is on point.
We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time.
Come on guys, it's just a cultural difference. It's all relative. For example, if this guy killed his daugther for marrying outside the faith or going out and getting herself raped, well, it's just how they do it over there. Who are we to say we are better, what with our corporate greed and inequitable wealth distribution?
They're just women with small brains. With brains a third the size of us. It's science.
It is not Ok to burp (mid meal or at any other point of time) in India...seriously Kash.
I mean just beacsue the name is Kashmir it does not automatically make you the last word on inter cultural niceties, eh? :-)
Jay-z? I can only imagine what this guy would call him. But this isn't the Jigga-man's problem. If you don't like his lyrics, you can press fast-forward.
Be thankful he wasn't listening to Chris Brown!
If this guy loses his job he should be able to make a few bucks renting out his forehead as a mirror.
Come on guys, it's just a cultural difference. It's all relative. For example, if this guy killed his daugther for marrying outside the faith or going out and getting herself raped, well, it's just how they do it over there. Who are we to say we are better, what with our corporate greed and inequitable wealth distribution?
I heard somewhere their periods attract bears. They can smell the menstruation!
You know I usually hate anyone who wears diaper on their head. But, this camel jockey really hit the nail on the head here. Women are inferior plain and simple. In most cases, they are nothing but a pair of tits and legs.
Truth is the best defense here. Just write a brief that says these women were bitches, hos, and dykes on an objective level.
The truth will set you free!
A pretty interesting post. Nice.
When I go to other countries, much less LIVE and WORK in other countries, I make a huge attempt to learn their customs and culture. You don't show up in Bahrain and walk around in a bikini. And you don't come to America to work in a high professional position and degrade women. Additionally, I assume this guy didn't just step off the boat so the excuse is not flying with me.
Lastly, being a douchebag because you grew up among douchebags is never an excuse.
Hormonal messes is just German for "a whale's vagina."
It's called sex panther. It's made with bits of real panther, so you know its good. 50% of the time, it works every time.
13 - it was acceptable where I lived in India, so I guess you're not the final word, either.
Wait, why is it illegal to degrade women? There's really a cause of action for harassment? Ew. I hate this country.
What a douchestache. Judging solely from his photo, my bet would be that he tried to flirt with some of them, and when shot down because of his lack of any attractive human qualities, he turned to calling him degrading names.
This will be a real showdown of political correctness - foreign cultures vs. gender discrimination. Liberals everywhere will be tripping over each other to demagogue this one!
Maybe he needs to head on home where his "cultural" perceptions are not "cultural".
The man is a doctor. He must know what he is talking about.
27, Foreign cultures > misogyny. When that Muslim dude upstate decapitated his wife for doing something too Western, NOW was conspicuously silent.
Yawn...
Go Akron!
Damn 29, that is exactly what I was going to say. For all we know this guy has done extensive research into the effect of hormones on the demeanor of female administrative assistants and he is "dead on balls" accurate as to their mental state for purely medical reasons. Who are they to question a doctor on that issue?
Of course there's a cultural difference. We're talking about doctors here. They've been chauvinists since Hippocrates. Haven't any of you people seen MASH, the movie of course?
Trapper John: "And then give me at least ONE nurse who knows how to work in close without getting her tits in my way."
Col. Blake: "Hot Lips, you incredible nincompoop."
Trapper John: "Well, what's the matter with her today?"
Hawkeye: "I don't know, I think it's one of those ladies' things."
Trapper John: "It's not like her to act like this. She's a bitch, look at my new flannel coat. She's going to have a nervous breakdown."
Maybe the next economic depression will curb the tide of our culture's emasculation.
11, You're hilarious.
26, You actually think this guy is guilty based on nothing more than allegations and *how he looks in the photo*? Your last name isn't Nifong by any chance, is it?
Of course there's a cultural difference. We're talking about doctors here. They've been chauvinists since Hippocrates. Haven't any of you people seen MASH, the movie of course?
Trapper John: "And then give me at least ONE nurse who knows how to work in close without getting her tits in my way."
Col. Blake: "Hot Lips, you incredible nincompoop."
Trapper John: "Well, what's the matter with her today?"
Hawkeye: "I don't know, I think it's one of those ladies' things."
Trapper John: "It's not like her to act like this. She's a bitch, look at my new flannel coat. She's going to have a nervous breakdown."
Maybe the next economic depression will curb the tide of our culture's emasculation.
He should file a complaint against those stupid women for insulting islam. Stone them. Off with their hands. Off with their heads. islam is a religion of peace and justice. jihad away.
LOL. Since when did Indians think it was ok to judge another group of people? They're already at the bottom (or near the bottom) of the racial totem pole.
You guys seems to forget that truth is a defense to slander. Duh.
All of his comments sound like something you would sayin jest to a bunch of people you already have a good rapport with. Gess this guy was wrong about that.
Indian MD: "I miss the old nurse uniform...you know white dress and a hat. Guess you monkey nurses nowadays are generally too fat to look good in them."
Amateurs: http://www.checkmd.com/sitemap/PA/city/Danville/Santosh-Potdar/6443949/
Why did they file in state court and not federal?
What do you expect from someone who bought his wife at a flea market in New Delhi ?
15 = Comment of the day!
-Not 15
How are we unsure about where this macaca is from ?
Santosh Potdar, MD
Practice Name Summa Physicians Inc.
Specialty
Medical School Mahatma Gandi Medical College
Internship M.Y. Hospital - Indore, India
Residency Mahatma Gandi Medical College
Fellowship University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Ship the piece of shit back to the cesspool he crawled out of.
30, you're a complete idiot. they weren't silent: http://www.now.org/news/note/022009.html?printable
More stories like this please! I am tired of hearing about layoffs and economic doom and gloom. I much prefer to read about idiots so that I can feel better about myself.
46, Read the links you post:
"Despite these patterns that are typical of spouse abuse and murder (only the manner of killing was atypical), most of the conservative commentary has focused not on male violence toward women (surprise, surprise), nor on the importance of protecting women who have separated from a violent relationship (another surprise) but has focused instead on attacking the Muslim community."
NOW said *something,* but they do not have the balls (pardon the pun) to call out Muslim culture for its subjugation of women. To them it was just another instance of domestic violence, which is an awfully euphemistic expression for a guy cutting off his wife's head.
47 -- go work for Blank Rome's Princeton office. You'll get your fill of stories like these.
I think that we should all defer to him. He has the medical expertise to diagnose the overall hormone levels and bitchitude of females.
HR's response was totally lame. I hope to God it was a woman who said that.
Give these ladies a couple of days and they will drop the complaint. They are probably just on their periods. Watch out for bears.
Yes, 35, I actually think that, just like 19, 29, 33, and 39 all have made objective determinations that the women were actually hormonal messes and fucking lesbians. Have you heard of the internet? Sarcasm? Get a clue.
13 - it actually is okay (expected, even) in Kerala.
54 is right. It is a custom that is falling out of favor in India as it modernizes (westernizes?). You probably won't see people doing it in Mumbai.
54 is right. It is a custom that is falling out of favor in India as it modernizes (westernizes?). You probably won't see people doing it in Mumbai.
Kenny Powers, that was messed up how you left the teacher on the side of the road, albeit since she had a dang roller bag for her trip, she inherently didn't plan to go for that long. Thus, why not cut to the chase!
48 -- So all muslims kill their wives when they have a problem with them? And non-muslims never do? This was just a function of Islam?
27 -- interesting, only liberals should be concerned if someone uses this kind of language? Conservative Christians are fine with calling others "Bunch of B*tches," "Hormonal Messes," and a "F*cking Lesbian?"
Good point, 59. Conservative Christians (and everyone knows the only REAL conservatives are all Christians!) would call women "wives" and "mothers," and occasionally, in a hushed whisper, "*LESBIANS*."
To be clear, they would also never call them "doctors," "lawyers," CEOs," "bankers," or "ministers," because, silly, women can't be any of those things!
where does the assumption come from that this is a muslim? the name santosh potdar certainly does not suggest it--quite the contrary.
how can this crew of apparently educated elites be so rabidly ignorant? the depths of your frothy, blind hatred never ceases to amaze.
@30:
You should probably know what you're talking about before you speak.
http://www.now.org/news/note/022009.html
@30:
You should probably know what you're talking about before you speak.
http://www.now.org/news/note/022009.html
48 - I just read your "response" to the NOW column. Way to selectively (mis)interpret two paragraphs out of the whole column. The point Gandy was making was that violence against women is not owned by Muslims, or Christians, or Americans, or Africans, or anyone else. It exists across all cultures, and anyone pointing at one culture and saying "THEY don't respect women, because they're violent toward them" is missing the point that violence against women exists in all of our own backyards. But, you know, that's probably too high-brow a point to try and make and the next meeting of your He-Man Woman-Hating Club.
Santosh Potdar, M.D. is a transplant surgeon and Director of Transplant Services with Summa Physicians, Surgery.
Dr. Potdar is board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery and fellowship trained in transplant surgery at Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is a member of the American Society of Transplantation Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, International Liver Transplant Society and the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association.
He is accepting new patients.
YOU BET YOUR BIPPY HE'S ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS - ALL THE OLD ONES ARE LEAVING BECAUSE THE REALIZE WHAT AN IDIOT HE IS.
The venom that pours forth in the comment section on this site is absolutely disgusting. You spew your poison behind cloaks of anonymity, and you're getting more and more comfortable leading double lives. I'd love to hear any of you stand up my law school classroom and say half the things you write up here.
It's only a matter of time before you all self-destruct. Every single one of you will reap what you sow. You will sow the wind and reap the whirlwind in your own lives, the lives of your families, and/or in your professional lives.
Words are powerful, and filthy words overflow from a filthy heart. I encourage each of you to repent (which simply means "change your mind") and head in a new direction -- both online and offline!
66- is that you, Santosh?
"cultural differences"? so tell me summa hr, how would you explain the lack of ignorant, misogynist behavior from the REST of your indian docs? please. kick this sorry motherf*cker to the curb.
66, real lawyers practice law, not "teach."
This guy is a total Richard Cranium - you people take time to stop and think why the transplant center closed? Three guesses, the first two don't count - Answer: because Richard Cranium doesn't know how to treat human beings, no matter what gender they are....so they all left their job....GO FIGURE!
The man has a GOD COMPLEX, met him several times, he ruined my daughter's life. Glad somebody get's to slap a lawsuit on him, he really does think women are not equal, I Hope the whole transplant community finds out about this low life.
Salusa Secondus doesn't deserve him.
Potdar should be tossed out of the medical profession, NEVER allow to preform another transplant. NEVER. He transplant my child and damn near killed her. HE< screwed up. But did he pay,, hell no the law proctected him. Indian, what ever he is a surgeon that should not be allow to practice and I bet I am not the only case that he screwed up. He is just one horrible Dr. RUN FROM POTDAR !!! RUN RUN RUN
LOATH the man, and I just wish I had another person to contact me with his total screw ups. He makes me sick sick sick. Should NEVER be allow to practice surgery in this county of our USA. Toss his one framed mind back to India to transplant cows,, only even cows do not deserve his care. DEVIL DOG
STOP protecting imcompentent Doctors. They are not God's. They are HUMAN and make mistakes. Hold them accountable. Mr Bush Protected them, just try to get one transplant surgeon to go against another in a court of law. Is not going to happen, such a close knit community, not one other has the guts to say another transplant surgeon "STEPPED OUT OF THE NORM" ok so what the hell is the NORM. Hope other transplant surgeons see Potadar for what he is. His day will come and those ladies in Akron ROCK<< YOU GO GIRLS !!!
My last and final words to Potdar after he failed my childs transplant because he thinks he's god was "Dr. Potdar what would you do if this was your daughter"? he only looked at me. After all we were just women did not matter. He close the hosp. door and walked and dismissed up. HE< did do wrong, the organ did NOT reject, he connected it WRONG. And as a mother he would not even speak to me would would Dad ??? why, because I am a woman, and did my daughter matter either,, nope only a "woman" So women patients of his really need to be careful,, he has no use for women,, well maybe one.
My last and final words to Potdar after he failed my childs transplant because he thinks he's god was "Dr. Potdar what would you do if this was your daughter"? he only looked at me. After all we were just women did not matter. He close the hosp. door and walked and dismissed up. HE< did do wrong, the organ did NOT reject, he connected it WRONG. And as a mother he would not even speak to me would would Dad ??? why, because I am a woman, and did my daughter matter either,, nope only a "woman" So women patients of his really need to be careful,, he has no use for women,, well maybe one.
Ya Know I am a hormoal mess, and it's thanks to Santosh Potdar, live it with it.