TV meteorologist pressured to wear tight dresses instead of trousers and scolded for dying blonde hair brown by sexist boss, lawsuit claims
Wren Clair, whose legal name is Renee Fox, alleges that she faced sexual discrimination and harassment while working at local broadcaster KSTP-TV.
The weather forecaster left the station in February after seven years and joined rival outlet KARE 11 the next month, claiming that she reached breaking point after being demoted for reporting the alleged misconduct.
KSTP-TV categorically denied her allegations in its legal response to her complaint.
Clair claims she was targeted by her coworkers and superiors in a lawsuit filed this week in Ramsey County District Court in Minneapolis, but said the alleged harassment was 'driven' by KSTP News Director Kirk Varner.
She alleges that Varner 'enabled' KSTP Chief Meteorologist Dave Dahl as he harassed her, which saw them 'engage in a variety of sexually offensive conduct'.
According to the lawsuit, this included Dahl repeatedly commenting on Clair's body, 'frequently talking about his sex life in graphic detail', complimenting the breasts of an underage waitress and engaging in 'sex acts in public' at the company Christmas party.
Other lewd allegations include Dahl telling Clair how 'turned on' he was by his then-girlfriend's 'lack of sexual experience', and 'proudly' showing colleagues pictures of his girlfriend's breasts, per the lawsuit.
Clair alleges that when Dahl, described as an 'untouchable' newsman in the area, retired in 2020, Varner picked up the mantle and subjected her to 'years of sex-based double standards and stereotypes'.
Clair's former employer KSTP-TV denied her allegation that she was fired after reporting the misconduct, and said she was terminated for poor performance.
But in her shock filing, Clair said that she had never been hit with any formal disciplinary action, and was replaced by a 'less qualified man' after she was fired.
She alleges that KSTP-TV has a, 'deeply ingrained culture of inappropriate sexual conduct and sexism' that 'traces its roots' back to Dahl, who is not named as a defendant in the suit.
Clair said that Dahl had a devoted fan base in the area and was viewed as 'untouchable' by network executives, who 'worked hard to create and maintain a public image of Dahl as a wholesome member of the Twin Cities community which starkly contrasted reality'.
Clair alleges that KSTP-TV has a 'deeply ingrained culture of inappropriate sexual conduct and sexism' that included the network's chief meteorologist 'frequently talking about his sex life in graphic detail'
Her complaint states that when Dahl retired, Varner was in charge of picking his replacement, but 'vocally doubted that the public can accept a lead female in a scientist role'.
The forecaster said she was given less favorable hours on the air and given worse assignments than her male peers, who she said also joined in the alleged workplace harassment.
This included male meteorologists leaving her with inaccurate forecast information and refusing to coordinate with her before her broadcasts that left her scrambling in front of viewers, according to the lawsuit.
Clair said in her complaint she was demoted in October 2024 after she started reporting the misconduct and fired the following February.
She said the network refused to explain what was 'unsatisfactory' about her performance.
In a response to the lawsuit filed in court on Wednesday, KSTP-TV said that it 'denies each and every allegation' put forward by Clair.
The network said that Clair was 'repeatedly coached' on her performance before she was fired, and said she was told to use 'less scientific and highly technical jargon' in her weather reports.
It also admitted that Varner commented on Clair having a 'swimmer's body', and 'emphasized the importance of clothing fit', as it countered that she would wear 'joggers' on the air.
The network also did not refute that Clair was scolded for dying her hair from blonde to brown, but said that she was referred to 'the appearance clause in her Employment Agreement'.
KSTP-TV told Daily Mail in response to the lawsuit that it 'does not comment on personnel matters or active litigation.'
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