MADISON, Wis. — Veteran communications professor Joe Gow this week filed a civil lawsuit against the University of Wisconsin board of regents for violating his First Amendment rights by firing him for creating and appearing in adult content.
Gow was fired in September after a protracted battle with the university, sparked by the revelation that Gow and his wife had posted their own amateur adult videos online. The school first removed Gow from his position as chancellor and stripped him of tenure before ultimately terminating his employment.
At the time, Gow stated, “We look forward to defending our rights in a court of law, before an impartial judge or jury. We seek not only to protect our own rights, but to protect free speech and expression for all Americans.”
This week, Gow filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, asking for a jury trial. The complaint alleges that the UW board of regents fired him “because it disliked his participation in and production of his ‘Sexy Happy Couple’ videos,” and that this violated the First Amendment because the content they created was protected speech. It asks the court to order the board to reinstate Gow as a tenured professor and award him damages.
After being fired, Gow discussed his situation with XBIZ in an exclusive interview, in which he described being targeted by far-right political players and decried the unprecedented way the university handled his case.
