Gorilla naked breasts row: third woman sues

Nina 02-28-2005

A third woman has filed a lawsuit claiming a caretaker for Koko, the world-famous sign-language speaking gorilla, put pressure on her to expose her breasts as a way to bond with the animal.

Iris Rivera, 39, sued the Gorilla Foundation this week in San Mateo county superior court, saying Francine Patterson, the foundation's president, repeatedly told her to expose her breasts.

Rivera, an administrative assistant at the foundation until she quit last month, claims Patterson told her last year that Koko was signing that "she wants to see your nipples".

Two other former employees of the foundation, Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, filed similar claims last week. But while Alperin and Keller refused to expose themselves to Koko, Rivera acquiesced, the lawsuit states.

"She took it as a disagreeable duty of her employment," said Rivera's lawyer.

Her lawsuit alleges sexual and disability discrimination, invasion of privacy and Labour Code violations and seeks unspecified damages.

An attorney for the foundation said the lawsuits had "no merit".

The Gorilla Foundation was founded in 1976 to promote the preservation and study of gorillas. It is best known for Koko, a 136kg simian who has mastered a vocabulary of more than 1 000 signs.

prfreak

question is did it help?

ridenlow84

good question prfreak

Wyntre

lol, people these days