Once More unto the Britches, Dear Friends

This from journet, an email-based discussion group in which I lurk but seldom speak. Apparently, some of the list's male members -- none of them, I'd guess, attorneys -- thought the guy shouldn't have been fired.

Objectification is inane, anti-intellectual, and juvenile whether
directed toward a man or a woman. Age and power differentials enter
into all of this, but perhaps framing it as a more personal
illustration would help. For example, if the male professor in
question were referred to by a higher ranking woman administrator and
assured that he was "hot" rather than qualified, would he be flattered?

Actually, I'm not entirely certain I want to know the answer....

Maybe we should just agree that we are all "hot" in our own way, and
shut up about it in the classroom....