The Gorilla Foundation, home to Koko the gorilla who speaks sign language, is being sued for $1 million by two former employees. Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller claim they were fired because they wouldn't show Koko their breasts. From the San Francisco Chronicle:
One example (from the lawsuit): "On at least two incidents in mid-to-late June 2004, (foundation president Francine) Patterson intensely pressured Keller to expose herself to Koko while they were working outside where other employees could potentially view Keller's naked body. ... On one such occasion, Patterson said, 'Koko, you see my nipples all the time. You are probably bored with my nipples. You need to see new nipples. I will turn my back so Kendra can show you her nipples.'"
...The suit, in any case, says that Patterson would interpret hand movements by Koko as a demand to see exposed human nipples. She warned Alperin and Keller that their employment with the foundation would suffer, the suit says, if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish."
During at least three visits, the suit says, "Patterson communicated to Alperin that exposing one's breasts to Koko is a normal component to developing a personal bond with the gorilla."
RIP Koko.
Created
