For years, women across America have dealt with glass ceilings. But now, women in Ohio have a new problem - glass floors.
A $105 million courthouse opened in Franklin County, Ohio, on Monday, but the builders seemed to have forgotten one thing - the bottom of the stairs, reports affiliate 10TV. The staircase is made of glass.
Dress wearers need to avoid taking the stairs, according to Franklin County Judge Julie Lynch, who wears dresses under her robes almost every day.
"I wear dresses because that's my personal choice," Lynch told 10TV. "When you stand under the stairwell, you can see right up through them.”
She speculates that men, who didn’t take half the population into account, designed the stairs.
Attorney Lori Johnson was startled by the transparent stairs. She worries not only about stares, but also how many cell phones have cameras attached.
“The next thing you know, you’re on the internet,” Johnson said, according to 10TV. “It sounds like a lawsuit in the making.”
While security guards warn women about taking the stairs, it seems most are just hoping people will be mature about the situation.
"They hope people will be mature? That's not a solution," Lynch said to 10TV. "If we had mature people that didn't violate the law, we wouldn't have this building."
Won't see as much as you see on the beach, on TV, in stores, on the street, etc. etc.
This is absurd because there are stairs all over the world that have NO risers. Just because these have glass, it doesn't make them any more easy to look up through than many other staircases. It's just being overrated.
If you have an eye for these things–and I suspect you don't–draw up a section view of a standard-rise staircase. Now depict the sightlines between anyone standing beneath the stairs, through the riser-voids, into the crotch of an individual standing on the stair. Get back to me when you're ready to recant.
I agree with you Steve. There are many, many buildings with stairs that have no risers, and no one has a problem. A lot of fuss being made by a pro-feminist mouthy judge, probably up for re-election or trying to be the next Judge Judy and get her own TV show. You only have to look at her behavior in the courtroom in this report, to see how she's trying to make a name for herself. I think that's what is behind this.
Hey Mike,
Before your talk down to someone you should actually take a look at the stair case. Steve's point is entirely valid here. the treads them selves are solid non see through, only the risers are glass. So stairs without risers would be the same thing...
your kidding me shes a judge .............good luck if your a guy appearing in front of her. By the way I'd throw up if I saw her accidently walking up the stairs !!!!
What idiot came up with this solution to the problem? Probably the same idiot that designed the stairs. Why not just cover the glass with frosted material (heck even white construction paper) instead of paying security guards to spend time and energy watching for and individually warning every female in a dress that they might not want to take the stairs. While he is directing stair traffic, somebody is slipping contraband in to the court house near his regular post. You may as well just put a big sign in front of the stairs in large print warning of the problem, and a second big sign behind the stairs that says free peep show.
Put some translucent film on the bottom of each step. It would probably cost $100. Finished, done, old news.
Yep, good call. They could easily put some one sided laminate down on those steps. They should do that anyway. If someone spilled their coffee on those stairs it would be pretty slippery.
Correction! This article is deceiving until you watch the video. The steps themselves aren't transparent glass it's only the risers in between. I've seen lots of staircases that don't even have risers. This is just CNN trying to stir up controversy. Apply something that would adhere to the risers that isn't transparent and this is no longer a story. As you suggest, it would be very cheap.
If anyone needs anger management problems look at how you troops are fighting for your country America, Then think about what a moronic statement the judge makes, a simple design flaw that can be dealt with. If this is all you have to #itch about, try going and help your troops in Iraq,Afganistan. Then come back and see if its a big deal .....not so big a deal is it now !!!
Are you kidding me? Who really would take the time to look up some fatty's dress? They would be lucky to have someone take interest in them. So sick of hearing about women and their body issues!
Why is it women are worried about people seeing their under garments when they have clothes on, but when they go to the beach or the public pool they are just about naked. What's the difference?
It's because they keep their bathing suits stain free, and shave for the beach. Sadly.
The difference is the mentality of the viewer. It's different seeing someone willingly wearing a bathing suit vs. sneakily looking at someone's underwear.
Just spray the risers with white spray paint... Done.
Seems that the new job isn't completed yet – a weekend with the sandblaster ought to take care of "views" ... yes sir by-golly jeewhizz – let's get the job done right ... !!!
I guess I won't be going there wearing a kilt.
Hands down one of the dumbest stories ever on CNN - this is Onion material people
Sorry, the story about the Zimbabwe cop getting detained for a month for using Mugabe's toilet beats this. Slow news year at CNN
Oh c'mon, give us a peek you prude! Panties are like swimsuits. It's okay if someone sees one.
"Paging participants of the bagpipe convention to floor two. Bagpipe convention, floor two."
This has got to be the most asinine complaint I have ever heard adult females make. First of all, there are thousands of staircases with no risers, just empty gaps between the steps, and I've never heard anyone whining about those. Secondly, the steps themselves are not glass, so there is no direct vertical view up. Rather, the viewing angle is something like 45 degrees. As you can clearly see from the video, this makes it impossible to actually see any unless the woman were to be wearing a miniskirt that goes at most an inch beyond her kitty.
@John....those are most definitely glass stairs and one can see through them, especially standing directly underneath. There are creepy perverted men who WILL loiter there just to sneak a peek. And even creepier pervs who will videotape or snap pics under there. The concern is not ridiculous or asinine. If you had a daughter, would you want her walking on those stairs in a dress?!
chicagoannie, i'm guessing you sniffed paint fumes as a child. If you don't know what risers are, please don't breed. If you already have, please perform a retroactive abortion.