Vince McMahon and WWE continue to find themselves in hot water as a new lawsuit has been brought up by ex-writer Britney Abrahams.
Abrahams is a former writer who worked for the company between 2020 and 2022 until she was terminated. In a lawsuit filed on April 25, Abrahams is against Vince McMahon and other WWE executives over alleged racial and gender stereotypes in scripts and also her wrongful termination. She was told she was terminated by the company for taking home a WrestleMani 37 chair.
The lawsuit includes Stephanie McMahon, Chris Lubrando (SVP, Creative Writing Operations at WWE), WWE creative team members Chris Dunn, Ryan Callahan, Jen Pepperman, and former team member Mike Heller.
The lawsuit states –
“It is clear that despite Plaintiff’s excellent work performance, Defendants actually terminated her employment based on her complaints about Defendants’ racial discrimination and due to her race and gender.
While Plaintiff’s employment with WWE was a harrowing, traumatic experience, the events complained of herein do not reflect a unique incident, as rudimentary internet research paints a similarly distressing picture of discriminatory abuse and misconduct by WWE and those occupying the most powerful positions within WWE.
The totality of these acts demonstrates a pattern of discrimination intentionally perpetrated by the WWE management and executive officers against Plaintiff.
For a considerable period following her termination Plaintiff was unable to locate permanent work due to Defendants’ discrimination and defamatory statements regarding her work performance.
Upon information and belief, Defendants devised, implemented, and executed a scheme through which they gave disparate, preferential treatment and superior benefits to male and white, Caucasian employees, while knowingly and intentionally denying equal treatment and benefits to female and black, African American employees, including Plaintiff.
Defendants discriminated against and terminated Plaintiff on the basis of her race, color, gender and because Plaintiff complained about and/or opposed the unlawful conduct of Defendants related to the above protected classes.”
The scripts and ideas pitched that Abrahams was rallying against included “offensively racist and stereotypical jargon” in scripts for black performers. Abrahams claims her rejection to these ideas were ignored. Some of these pitches included Bianca Belair, Apollo Crews, Mansoor, Reggie (now Scrypts), and others.
Examples cited include Belair saying “Uh-Uh! Don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your ass! ” Also having Crews speaking with a “stereotypical and exaggerated Nigerian accent.”
The lawsuit also cites “discriminatory pitches” for Reggie where he would be “hunted” by now former WWE star Shane Thorne and also a love triangle between Mansoor, Aliyah and Angel Garza. This would lead up to Mansoor’s secret being that he was behind 9/11.
The full lawsuit can be read here.
