The world at a glance . . . Europe

Dublin

Racism against the English: An Irish court has awarded a white Englishman $30,000 in compensation for “racial abuse” on the job, after he was harassed by his Irish bosses and co-workers. The man, who has remained anonymous, said his Irish colleagues at a Dublin construction site played “racist” jokes on him and taunted him—for instance, reading aloud newspaper articles on losses by the English national soccer team. Any time there was a dangerous construction task, he said, the foreman would say, “Send the Brit in.” He was laid off after just two months on the job. Ireland’s Equity Tribunal ordered the construction company to pay the man compensation, but did not insist that he be rehired.

Stockholm

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Are sex toys discriminatory? The Swedish agency that monitors gender equality has begun an investigation of the state-run pharmacy, Apoteket, for allegedly selling “sex toys” suitable only for women. After sexual aids became available at state pharmacies two months ago, numerous complaints came in from men who said the selection excluded them. One complaint stated that Apoteket had bought into the “misguided view on sexuality where a woman with a dildo is seen as liberated, strong, and independent, whereas a man with a blowup plastic vagina is viewed as disgusting and perverted.” Apoteket said there are simply no good sexual aids for men on the market. “Should there be such products specifically for men,” said procurement chief Eva Fernvall, “then there is nothing stopping us from selling them.”