Eight former SpaceX engineers have initiated a lawsuit against Elon Musk, alleging that he fostered a hostile work environment through actions that included sexual harassment and retaliatory practices. Filed in California state court, the lawsuit details Musk’s purportedly deliberate creation of an unwelcoming environment at SpaceX, a company he founded in 2002.
What Are the Allegations Against Elon Musk?
The complaint centers on Musk’s behavior, accusing him of circulating “vile sexual photographs, memes, and commentary that demeaned women and/or the LGBTQ+ community.” This behavior, according to the lawsuit, has led to a “perversely sexist culture” at the aerospace manufacturer. The complaint specifically points to several of Musk’s Twitter posts, where he made sexually explicit jokes, as evidence of the culture he encouraged.
The lawsuit outlines specific examples of how this culture manifested within the company. It mentions that senior engineers often used sexually explicit language to describe mechanical parts during technical meetings, including terms like “chodes” and “schlongs.” An even more stark example provided was the naming of a camera as the ‘Upskirt Camera,’ allegedly used to view the bottom of the Falcon rocket’s second stage, which plaintiffs argue reflects the derogatory culture fostered under Musk’s leadership.
The complaint also cites a controversial video featuring SpaceX’s upper management, including Vice President of Human Resources Brian Bjelde, President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell, and Musk himself, that allegedly mocks and makes light of sexual misconduct and banter.
Further complicating the narrative, the lawsuit follows a series of complaints by former employees who collaborated on an open letter in 2022, raising alarms over Musk’s behavior and the broader company culture.
According to the lawsuit, these employees were fired after their public dissent, with the directive to terminate purportedly coming directly from Musk. The lawsuit includes a recount of a human resources official’s suggestion for an investigation, to which Musk allegedly responded, “I don’t care, fire them.”
In response to the publication of the open letter, Shotwell reportedly emailed two of the letter’s writers instructing them to “stop flooding employees’ communications channels immediately.” She also sent a companywide email with the subject line ‘Please stay focused on the SpaceX mission,’ dismissing the open letter as “overreaching activism” and affirming that an investigation had been conducted, leading to the termination of several employees.
This lawsuit arrives on the heels of additional reports by the Wall Street Journal, which detailed allegations that Musk had engaged in sexual relationships with SpaceX employees, including a former intern he later appointed to his executive team. Another female employee claimed Musk repeatedly solicited her to have his children and subsequently criticized her work performance and denied her a raise after she declined.
Additional Allegations Surface
Moreover, Shotwell has been implicated in another controversy, accused by a SpaceX employee of wanting a female colleague removed from the office after alleging an affair with her husband. In her defense, Shotwell argued that the report paints a misleading narrative of the company’s culture.
Several ex-employees of SpaceX hold a different viewpoint. In 2021, following the publication of an essay by a former SpaceX worker outlining several occasions of being groped by male coworkers, five former employees alleged the presence of a sexual harassment culture within the company. They criticized the handling of complaints by the HR department. Additionally, in 2022, Business Insider covered an incident where a flight attendant aboard Musk’s private jet alleged that he exposed himself to her.
Laurie Burgess, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, emphasized the bravery of her clients in standing against Musk and expressed determination to hold him accountable through the legal proceedings.
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