#MeToo movement attacks Shaun White after epic win
Shaun White didn’t have long to celebrate becoming the first male American Olympian to win gold in three different Winter Games (Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and Pyeongchang 2018).
Soon after White took the gold in the halfpipe Wednesday, reporters and others started calling attention to a sexual harassment lawsuit he faced in 2016.
The lawsuit was filed by Lena Zawaideh, who was the drummer in White’s rock band, Bad Things, from 2008 until her firing in 2014.
In a complaint filed in San Diego County on Aug. 12, 2016, Zawaideh said White sent her sexually explicit images, forced her to watch sexually disturbing videos — including ones that “sexualized fecal matter” — and refused to pay her salary after she had been fired.
She also claimed White tried to force her to wear revealing clothes and eventually fired her for not cutting her hair.
“I am pursuing this case because women should not have to tolerate harassment at work,” Zawaideh said in a statement released by her lawyers at the time. “Shaun White should not be allowed to do whatever he wants just because he is famous. Although I am embarrassed to have been treated this way, I cannot sit by and watch him do this to other women.”
The lawsuit was settled out of court in spring 2017.
Some who watched White’s performance were not pleased with the excitement fans had over him, invoking the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and abuse.
Hey, @NBCOlympics, why no mention of the disgusting sexual harassment suit involving Shaun White? Sorry, but he's nothing to celebrate. He shouldn't even be there. #OlympicGames2018 #metoo https://t.co/hkTmaoOElg
— Trisha Leigh (@trishaleighKC) February 14, 2018
As you cheer for @shaunwhite, consider these awful and graphic allegations of sexual harassment against him, including texts he admitted to sending. #MeToo https://t.co/4eitns7H3I @usatodaysports @USATODAY
— Christine Brennan (@cbrennansports) February 14, 2018
Why aren’t we talking about Shaun White and history of sexual harassment? #metoo
— Nancy Levine Stearns ✍️ (@nancylevine) February 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/KaivanShroff/status/963658225773137926
How’s your #metoo revolution going? I’m sitting here thinking that we’ve just been way too hard on men as I watch Mike Tirico give a glowing, softball interview to Shaun White.
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) February 14, 2018
Yes, Shaun White pulled off an incredible athletic feat, winning gold in yet another #Olympics. But that doesn't change the fact that he was accused of disturbing, graphic sexual harassment. Success doesn't excuse sexual violence. https://t.co/mjme0X3Rvg #MeToo
— YWCA USA (@YWCAUSA) February 14, 2018
Others, however, defended the snowboarder.
https://twitter.com/JoePonessi/status/963787807864119296
You know the #Metoo has become a witch hunt when the people in it are trying to undermine Shaun White's victory with mere allegations when the case was already settled. #PyeongChang2018
— Naji (@Naji_Ishag) February 14, 2018
At a press conference Wednesday, White was asked by a reporter if the allegations by Zawaideh would “tarnish” his legacy.
“I’m, you know, honestly, here to talk about the Olympics, not, you know gossip, so, but I don’t think so, I am who I am, and I’m proud of who I am,” he responded. “My friends, you know, love me and vouch for me, and I think that stands on its own.”
White’s reference to the allegations as “gossip” started another controversy of its own.
He later appeared on NBC’s “Today” show Wednesday and apologized for his choice of words.
“I’m truly sorry that I chose the word ‘gossip,'” White said. “It was a poor choice of words to describe such a sensitive subject in the world today. I’m just truly sorry. I was so overwhelmed with just wanting to talk about how amazing today was and share my experience, but yeah.
“It’s amazing … how life works, with twists and turns and lessons learned. So every experience in my life, I feel like it’s taught me a lesson, and I definitely feel like I’m a much more changed person than I was when I was younger. And yeah, I’m just proud of who I am today.”
White, 31, was the 100th American to win a gold medal in the history of the Winter Olympics.
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