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iemanja

(57,757 posts)
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 01:00 AM Dec 2021

Ex-SpaceX Engineer Claims Elon Musk Is 'Sadistic,' Misogyny Is 'Rampant'

A former SpaceX engineer alleges in an essay published Tuesday morning that “misogyny is rampant” at the Elon Musk-led startup, where she claims to have received little to no support on the numerous occasions she brought claims of sexism and sexual harassment to her superiors and HR.

“Each and every man who harassed me was tolerated despite the company’s so-called no-tolerance and no-asshole policy,” she writes.

The former employee, Ashley Kosak, additionally says the aerospace manufacturer exists in a “state of disrepair and dysfunction” and that Musk’s own behavior is similar to that of “a sadistic and abusive man.” Kosak published the essay on the New York-based platform Lioness, which “brings forward stories about encounters with power.”

Kosak’s own issues at SpaceX started soon after she first joined the company as an intern in 2017, she says. Only weeks later, a fellow intern approached her and “grabbed my butt while I was washing my dishes,” she writes. Kosak reported the incident to two people, including her superior, she writes, but no one reported the incident to HR and she had to continue living in the same housing as her assailant.

The mistreatment continued from there, she writes, as she dealt with “countless men” who “made sexual advances” toward her. In 2018, a male co-worker “ran his hand over [her] shirt, from [her] lower waist to my chest.” That time, she met with HR herself, but received no follow up, she writes. “This man remained part of the team I reported to and worked for. Given my tenuous position at the company, I felt powerless.” Kosak writes that one man called her at 4 a.m. and that another arrived at her house “and insisted on touching me even when I repeatedly requested we stay professional.”


https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxdn3x/ex-spacex-engineer-claims-elon-musk-is-sadistic-misogyny-is-rampant?fbclid=IwAR1GNNFResVVT_eJSKSmNdoOEjHPBLd_4kGHumtxCgglzPLD9no1PYwkyNE

Their HR department did nothing.

Given the current state of America, I shouldn't be surprised that Time selected a misogynist asshole as person of the year. Remember, he announced his company's move to Texas shortly after the state passed the 6-week abortion ban. That said everything about how he viewed his female employees and women generally. I don't believe that this history of misogyny was incidental to Time's choice.
28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Ex-SpaceX Engineer Claims Elon Musk Is 'Sadistic,' Misogyny Is 'Rampant' (Original Post) iemanja Dec 2021 OP
He seems to be losing it. OAITW r.2.0 Dec 2021 #1
With his enormous wealth PatSeg Dec 2021 #27
I find it shocking that a real life DU hero 48656c6c6f20 Dec 2021 #2
I don't think he's a DU hero iemanja Dec 2021 #3
A DUer said that those criticizing him Sur Zobra Dec 2021 #4
Yeah, that one's like a broken record. It's strange to me how people get so attached Carlitos Brigante Dec 2021 #5
It is inexplicable cheerleading Sur Zobra Dec 2021 #6
Some Duers defended Bezos the same way when he launched his donger into space SunImp Dec 2021 #17
I think more people here Dorian Gray Dec 2021 #20
So you think NASA is stupid also for using him? Nt USALiberal Dec 2021 #22
NASA is not dumb Dorian Gray Dec 2021 #24
Lol, ok! Nt USALiberal Dec 2021 #26
Cool talk, lol. Dorian Gray Dec 2021 #28
Musk is a lot more "real life James Bond villain" than "DU hero" (n/t) Spider Jerusalem Dec 2021 #7
Elon Stavro Blofeld. roamer65 Dec 2021 #11
Probably a bit more Hugo Drax than Blofeld! Spider Jerusalem Dec 2021 #15
Very true. roamer65 Dec 2021 #21
I, for one canetoad Dec 2021 #9
Time and Newsweek have turned right wing in recent years. radius777 Dec 2021 #8
If true, NASA needs to fire him! Nt USALiberal Dec 2021 #10
Agree! Blinded by his sense of importance his space adventure is doomed to failure PortTack Dec 2021 #16
I hope Ashley Kosak has found a secure, and much better, job since leaving SpaceX Hekate Dec 2021 #12
LOL Skittles Dec 2021 #13
I'd be more surprised if you told me that water was wet. NT Bleacher Creature Dec 2021 #14
How is this news? LittleGirl Dec 2021 #18
K&R ck4829 Dec 2021 #19
K&R UTUSN Dec 2021 #23
There must be some mistake. This company is run by Times person of the year Takket Dec 2021 #25

PatSeg

(53,214 posts)
27. With his enormous wealth
Fri Dec 17, 2021, 11:59 AM
Dec 2021

I believe he thinks he is all powerful and untouchable. That kind of money can have a very negative effect on people.

 

48656c6c6f20

(7,638 posts)
2. I find it shocking that a real life DU hero
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 01:10 AM
Dec 2021

would allow this to go on at his company. It's got to be fake news. Lord Musk couldn't be flawed could he?

 

Sur Zobra

(3,428 posts)
4. A DUer said that those criticizing him
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 01:44 AM
Dec 2021

are just jealous of him. That might be what the poster was referring to

 

Carlitos Brigante

(26,848 posts)
5. Yeah, that one's like a broken record. It's strange to me how people get so attached
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 01:47 AM
Dec 2021

to someone they've most likely never met and probably wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.

SunImp

(2,706 posts)
17. Some Duers defended Bezos the same way when he launched his donger into space
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 03:43 AM
Dec 2021

All of them are brown nosing Karens

Dorian Gray

(13,850 posts)
20. I think more people here
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 07:34 AM
Dec 2021

have disdain for him, but there are a group who think he walks on water.

Whatever.

He's an immature douchnozzle born on third base.

SpaceX is stupid.

Tesla MAY be a net good for the environment, but here in Brooklyn owning one is a status symbol. Ubiquitous and uninteresting status symbol. Like owning a Birkin bag.

Dorian Gray

(13,850 posts)
24. NASA is not dumb
Fri Dec 17, 2021, 07:19 AM
Dec 2021

SpaceX is essentially an ego thing for Musk. His involvement is hubris.

That doesn't mean that he hasn't hired smart scientists who are working behind it. NASA utilizing those resources isn't stupid. Musk using it as a penis measuring contest is fucking dumb.



 

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)
15. Probably a bit more Hugo Drax than Blofeld!
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 03:12 AM
Dec 2021

Drax put up a front of being a hearty, companionable bloke, quick for a laugh, etc, while all the time sneering in private at the gullible stupidity of the public.

radius777

(3,921 posts)
8. Time and Newsweek have turned right wing in recent years.
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 02:05 AM
Dec 2021

What once were respected magazines are now not fit to line a bird cage.

Musk and his ilk are the typical sociopathic libertarian techbros, thus the abuses alleged in this article are completely believable and unsurprising.

PortTack

(35,820 posts)
16. Agree! Blinded by his sense of importance his space adventure is doomed to failure
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 03:28 AM
Dec 2021

I understand the cars continue to have issues with poor customer service to boot!

Hekate

(100,133 posts)
12. I hope Ashley Kosak has found a secure, and much better, job since leaving SpaceX
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 02:34 AM
Dec 2021

The tech industry loses out on an incredible amount of talent by mistreating women.

Skittles

(171,717 posts)
13. LOL
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 02:35 AM
Dec 2021

no big surprise there

I have to tell you though, that the one guy who attempted to "run his hand over me" ended up with a broken nose.

Ladies, don't run to your boss or HR - KICK THE SHIT OUT OF HIM.

LittleGirl

(8,999 posts)
18. How is this news?
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 04:01 AM
Dec 2021

This is why women don't want to work in S.T.E.M. fields.

Geeky men are the biggest entitled assholes in mankind. They simply cannot control themselves. This is why I don't miss my last network administration job at all. Because of the men!

I can't wait until women rule the world. It will be a kind world then.

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