In this lawsuit happy country (USA), this young lady will probably wind up (as will her attorneys), with a bag of dough. Few companies have the fortitude to fully legally challenge a discrimination suit. And the plaintiffs are quite aware of this.
HR folks tend to be quite a bit to the left of center. The emphasis in hiring in the US is now “diversity”. There are (unwritten) differences in qualifications for hiring based on gender, race, etc. Some new hire class photos look like a UNICEF poster.
Has there been discrimination in the past? Are some airline pilots Male Chauvinist Pigs? Yes, of course. But the chosen remedy, hiring and then tolerating individuals whose qualifications and subsequent performance are substandard is not the answer, particularly in safety related jobs such as ours.
In no way am I casting the net over the entire group who are of minority status. Most are excellent pilots and fine individuals. But there are some who are not, and they are afforded protections and privileges not available to the rest of us.
Who said it first – “Two wrongs do not make a right”.