If the job was for a fixed period (like maternity leave) and he was planning to come back afterwards, and he was the right person for the job, then sure. I've hired like that before.
People need time out in their lives for all kinds of reasons. If you're playing the long-game when hiring, which you often are (or should be), then you need to take that into account.
In the right circumstances I would as well. I meant to simply point out the general idea that substituting man for woman will imply if it's sexist or not. In the article it also does not mention whether or not she was ever planning to go back to work.
