Danielle Hazel, 25, had always envisioned herself competing, so when she found out she was no longer qualified due to her 19-year-old son Zion, who is now six years old, she was distraught.
Now, in an attempt to get the criteria lifted, she has filed a complaint with the New York Commission on Human Rights, arguing that the law prohibits and excludes mothers from a “important business and cultural opportunity” just because of their parental status.
Gloria Allred, a renowned feminist attorney, accompanied Ms. Hazel when she announced the complaint at the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in Central Park.
“This exclusion is degrading to Danielle, as we stated in Danielle’s filed complaint, because it is based upon the outdated stereotype that women cannot be both beautiful, poised, passionate, talented, and philanthropic and also be mothers,” Ms. Allred, who has been involved in high-profile cases like the OJ Simpson trial, said.
“Being a parent or pregnant is not a crime, and it shouldn’t keep someone from being hired or from taking advantage of economic opportunities.
“Being a parent should not be stigmatized, and no one should experience feelings of shame, humiliation, or denigration as a result of becoming a parent.”
