13-6-2024 (NEW YORK) In a bombshell report that has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, The Wall Street Journal has unveiled damning allegations against SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk. According to the report, which cites affidavits and interviews, Musk pursued romantic and sexual relationships with women employed by the company, including a former intern.
The exposé paints a disturbing picture of a corporate culture plagued by sexism and harassment, with former SpaceX executives alleging that company policies are routinely disregarded when it comes to Musk’s conduct, fostering an environment rife with discriminatory practices.
Gwynne Shotwell, the company’s president, vehemently disputed this assessment, asserting to the Journal that SpaceX fully investigates all complaints of harassment and takes appropriate actions in response. However, Musk and SpaceX have remained conspicuously silent, failing to respond to requests for comment from Bloomberg.
The revelations have cast a pall over the pioneering space exploration company, which now finds itself mired in a legal quagmire. On June 12, a group of former SpaceX employees filed a lawsuit accusing Musk of cultivating a sexist “Dark Ages” culture within the organization.
According to the Journal’s report, one woman who reported directly to Musk left the company in 2013, alleging that the CEO had propositioned her to bear his children. The report states that their professional relationship deteriorated after she declined his offer.
In another harrowing account from 2014, a woman who had engaged in a sexual relationship with Musk while directly reporting to him faced repercussions when the relationship soured. She ultimately departed the company and signed a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting her from discussing her work for Musk, the Journal reported.
The June 12 lawsuit, filed in a California court, contends that Musk had the workers terminated after they published an open letter detailing their concerns and calling on the company’s board to distance itself from the controversial entrepreneur.
“Elon Musk trumpets SpaceX as the leader to a brave new world of space travel,” the court filing states. “But (he) runs his company in the Dark Ages – treating women as sexual objects to be evaluated on their bra size, bombarding the workplace with lewd sexual banter, and offering the reprise to those who challenge the ‘Animal House’ environment that if they don’t like it they can seek employment elsewhere.”
The suit charges Musk and SpaceX with sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination, painting a grim picture of a corporate culture mired in archaic and unacceptable practices.
The fired workers have already filed a complaint with the US National Labour Relations Board, but their efforts have been stalled by a lawsuit initiated by Musk himself, aimed at derailing the proceedings.
Notably, this is not the first time Musk’s companies have faced allegations of this nature. Tesla, his other flagship venture, has been the subject of similar accusations of racism and sexual harassment at its California site, casting further doubt on the billionaire’s commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace.
