Koko Likes Boobs
Correspondent:: König Prüße, GfbAEV
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 11:28:06 GMT
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Ex-worker is third to sue over gorilla
Woman says she had to show her breasts to Koko
- Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Another former employee of the Gorilla Foundation has filed
a lawsuit saying that she was repeatedly forced to partially
disrobe in front of Koko the "talking" ape.
Redwood City resident Iris Rivera, 39, revealed her breasts
to Koko seven or eight times in a two-month period last summer,
according to a suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court this week --
seven days after a similar legal claim from two San Francisco women
who also had worked for the internationally known Woodside nonprofit.
Unlike Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, who ignored foundation
President Francine Patterson's pressure to expose themselves,
Rivera acquiesced.
"She took it as a disagreeable duty of her employment," said Rivera's
lawyer, Michael Adams, in a phone interview.
Redwood City attorney Todd Roberts, representing the Gorilla Foundation,
said, "We're confident there's no merit to either of these lawsuits. We are
not going to dignify the allegations with a response."
He said the foundation's position was exactly the same as the statement
posted on its Web site in regard to last week's lawsuit.
"We unequivocally deny the hurtful allegations of the lawsuit and
intend to vigorously defend the case through trial, if necessary,"
the statement said in part.
Rivera was hired as an administrative assistant in February 2004
but wasn't introduced to Koko until June.
"To Rivera's shock and surprise, Patterson informed Rivera that
Koko was communicating by sign language that 'she wants to see
your nipples,' " the suit alleged. "When Rivera expressed her
incredulity at the apparent request, Patterson pressured Rivera to
comply, telling her, 'Everyone does it for her around here' and
telling Koko to 'calm down' and 'just give her time.'
"Rivera then reluctantly raised her T-shirt briefly to reveal her bra,
but Rivera admonished her that Koko 'wants to see the nipples
(italicized in the suit).' Rivera grudgingly complied. Patterson then
exclaimed, 'Oh look, Koko, she has big nipples.' "
The sessions ended in August, Adams said, after what he
described as a particularly unsettling encounter.
One of Koko's handlers told Rivera that the loquacious primate --
best- known for her purported 1,000-word American Sign Language
vocabulary -- indicated that she wanted to be alone with Rivera.
"My client was getting some rudimentary signing from Koko,"
he said by phone from his Redwood City office. " 'Let down your
hair. Lie down on the floor. Show your breasts again.
Close your eyes.' My client peeped out and saw Koko
slowly kneel down and start squatting and breathing heavily.
My client got spooked and ran out of the trailer."
Although Koko was confined to a wire cage, her behavior was
suggestive to the point that Rivera didn't want to wait around
and find out what might come next, Adams said.
And she refused to go near the 33-year-old lowland gorilla again,
Adams added.
On previous occasions, Adams said, Patterson would watch
Rivera expose herself to Koko. And the gorilla would take it all in,
the lawyer said, "with wide-open, staring eyes."
Rivera quit on Jan. 13 and has found office work elsewhere, Adams said.
The suit alleges sexual and disability discrimination, invasion
of privacy and Labor Code violations. It asks for unspecified
general, special and punitive damages, and also names Patterson
and Gary Stanley, director of educational technology at the foundation.
Stanley, reached by phone, referred all questions to lawyer Roberts.
The suit says Rivera was treated for an ectopic pregnancy last fall,
missed several weeks of work and returned in November under
"medical limitations" that Stanley ignored.
Rivera developed panic attacks and an anxiety disorder, prompting
Stanley to harass and ridicule her, the suit also claims.
In addition, it alleges unpaid overtime and refusal to allow meal
and rest breaks.
E-mail Patricia Yollin at pyollin@sfchronicle.com.
Page B - 1
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/26/BAGIUBH8CM38.DTL
Correspondent:: "Rev. Richard Skull"
Date: 27 Feb 2005 12:56:38 -0800
--------
Ex-worker is third to sue over gorilla
Woman says she had to show her breasts to Koko
- Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Another former employee of the Gorilla Foundation has filed
a lawsuit saying that she was repeatedly forced to partially
disrobe in front of Koko the "talking" ape.
Redwood City resident Iris Rivera, 39, revealed her breasts
to Koko seven or eight times in a two-month period last summer,
according to a suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court this week
--
seven days after a similar legal claim from two San Francisco women
who also had worked for the internationally known Woodside nonprofit.
Unlike Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, who ignored foundation
President Francine Patterson's pressure to expose themselves,
Rivera acquiesced.
"She took it as a disagreeable duty of her employment," said Rivera's
lawyer, Michael Adams, in a phone interview.
Redwood City attorney Todd Roberts, representing the Gorilla
Foundation,
said, "We're confident there's no merit to either of these lawsuits. We
are
not going to dignify the allegations with a response."
He said the foundation's position was exactly the same as the statement
posted on its Web site in regard to last week's lawsuit.
"We unequivocally deny the hurtful allegations of the lawsuit and
intend to vigorously defend the case through trial, if necessary,"
the statement said in part.
Rivera was hired as an administrative assistant in February 2004
but wasn't introduced to Koko until June.
"To Rivera's shock and surprise, Patterson informed Rivera that
Koko was communicating by sign language that 'she wants to see
your nipples,' " the suit alleged. "When Rivera expressed her
incredulity at the apparent request, Patterson pressured Rivera to
comply, telling her, 'Everyone does it for her around here' and
telling Koko to 'calm down' and 'just give her time.'
"Rivera then reluctantly raised her T-shirt briefly to reveal her bra,
but Rivera admonished her that Koko 'wants to see the nipples
(italicized in the suit).' Rivera grudgingly complied. Patterson then
exclaimed, 'Oh look, Koko, she has big nipples.' "
The sessions ended in August, Adams said, after what he
described as a particularly unsettling encounter.
One of Koko's handlers told Rivera that the loquacious primate --
best- known for her purported 1,000-word American Sign Language
vocabulary -- indicated that she wanted to be alone with Rivera.
"My client was getting some rudimentary signing from Koko,"
he said by phone from his Redwood City office. " 'Let down your
hair. Lie down on the floor. Show your breasts again.
Close your eyes.' My client peeped out and saw Koko
slowly kneel down and start squatting and breathing heavily.
My client got spooked and ran out of the trailer."
Although Koko was confined to a wire cage, her behavior was
suggestive to the point that Rivera didn't want to wait around
and find out what might come next, Adams said.
And she refused to go near the 33-year-old lowland gorilla again,
Adams added.
On previous occasions, Adams said, Patterson would watch
Rivera expose herself to Koko. And the gorilla would take it all in,
the lawyer said, "with wide-open, staring eyes."
Rivera quit on Jan. 13 and has found office work elsewhere, Adams said.
The suit alleges sexual and disability discrimination, invasion
of privacy and Labor Code violations. It asks for unspecified
general, special and punitive damages, and also names Patterson
and Gary Stanley, director of educational technology at the foundation.
Stanley, reached by phone, referred all questions to lawyer Roberts.
The suit says Rivera was treated for an ectopic pregnancy last fall,
missed several weeks of work and returned in November under
"medical limitations" that Stanley ignored.
Rivera developed panic attacks and an anxiety disorder, prompting
Stanley to harass and ridicule her, the suit also claims.
In addition, it alleges unpaid overtime and refusal to allow meal
and rest breaks.
E-mail Patricia Yollin at pyol...@sfchronicle.com.
Then they all got down with a lesbian 4-way!
Hoooooo haaaaaa!