'Pervasively sexist culture' | Elon Musk & SpaceX sued over alleged unfair firings & sex discrimination

Eight engineers have filed a lawsuit against SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk, alleging they were wrongfully terminated for raising concerns about sexual harassment and gender discrimination within the company.

As reported by Reuters, the group of four women and four men claims that Musk ordered their dismissal in 2022 after they circulated a letter criticizing him as a "distraction and embarrassment" and urging the company to repudiate sexually explicit remarks he made on social media. This legal action has been initiated in a state court in Los Angeles.

According to the plaintiffs, who have initiated legal proceedings in state court in Los Angeles, Musk's tweets contributed to a "pervasively sexist culture" at SpaceX. One tweet from 2022 suggested to the former CEO of YouTube: “if you touch my wiener, you can have a horse." 

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The lawsuit details that female engineers at SpaceX were frequently subjected to harassment and derogatory comments, with senior engineers allegedly using euphemisms for sexual acts and male anatomy when discussing rocket components.