 "Elon Musk accused of 'unusual attention' by SpaceX women employees")
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been accused of showing ‘unusual attention’ to several female employees, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The report highlights allegations from one woman who claimed Musk pursued her, and another former employee who left the company in 2013, alleging that Musk asked her to bear his children.
The Wall Street Journal reports Musk fostered an uncomfortable environment for women at both SpaceX and Tesla.
These allegations add to a list of previous claims against Musk, including accusations of drug use, such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, and ketamine, sometimes in the presence of board members.
The WSJ article is based on text messages, emails, and documents, along with interviews from over 48 individuals, including the women's friends, family members, and former employees.
While Musk did not respond to the requests of WSJ for comment, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell stated that the news report’s portrayal is misleading and does not accurately reflect the culture at SpaceX. She asserted that all harassment complaints at the company are thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed.
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Allegations of harassment and misconduct against Elon Musk
In the past, the CEO of SpaceX has faced accusations of fostering a ‘hostile work environment’. These allegations include claims that jokes about sexual harassment were commonplace, women received lower pay compared to men, and employees who raised concerns were dismissed.
Former employees have, in the past, accused Musk of creating a sexist workplace culture where sexual comments and other forms of harassment were either tolerated or trivialised.
Despite these accusations, one former employee stated, “Nothing that Elon Musk did towards me during either of my periods of employment at SpaceX was predatory or wrongful in any way.” A report from The Wall Street Journal included statements from female employees at Tesla who claimed they received “an unusual amount of attention or were pursued” by Musk. Additionally, a SpaceX flight attendant had alleged that in 2016, Musk exposed himself to her and offered to buy her a horse in exchange for sex.
Musk, who has fathered at least ten children, has publicly stated that he believes the world is facing a population decline and that people with high IQs should have more children.
The WSJ report also alleged that a female SpaceX employee received multiple invitations from Musk to visit his house at night. The article includes a detailed text exchange between them.
SpaceX and Musk’s legal representatives have dismissed the report, asserting that it contains numerous falsehoods.
They stated, "The untruths, mischaracterisations, and revisionist history in your email paint a completely misleading narrative. I continue to be amazed by what this extraordinary group of people are achieving every day even amidst all the forces acting against us. And Elon is one of the best humans I know,” The Wall Street Journal reported quoting Shotwell.