HOUSTON – A former Houston Chronicle reporter who moonlighted as an exotic dancer is suing the paper for letting her go.
Sarah Tressler has has hired the attorney to the stars, Gloria Allred.
The two held a news conference in Los Angeles Thursday to announce the suit.
Allred said the Houston Chronicle is guilty of sexual discrimination for firing Tressler when it learned she was working as a stripper to supplement her reporting income.
Tressler didn't disclose her exotic dancing career when she filled out the employment application for the Chronicle, but she wasn't shy about her exploits either.
Tressler posted racy photos of herself on Twitter, Facebook and her own blog titled "The Diary of an Angry Stripper."
But, if she was angry then, imagine her fury when the Chronicle gave her the boot.
High society Houstonians who were often included in her social columns were shocked to learn of her extra job.
"I guess you could say she's quite the multi-tasker," Becca Cason Thrash said.
Tressler appeared a little uncomfortable at the news conference Thursday morning.
She gave some nervous smiles while she let her lawyer do the talking.
"Sarah feels that when she was terminated, that termination was sexually discriminatory in violation of title seven of the civil rights act. Most exotic dancers are female and therefore to terminate an employee because that employee had previously been an exotic dancer would have an adverse impact on women since it's a female dominated occupation. Terminations like this would also discourage women from trying to improve their lives," Gloria Allred said.
KPRC Local 2 emailed the Chronicle about the lawsuit.
A representative replied that they haven't seen the complaint yet so they cannot comment.
Tressler also teaches part time at the University of Houston.
After she was fired from the Chronicle, she began freelancing for ABC News.