A former employee of Flaunt Magazine, which describes itself as a “satirical subculture and fashion magazine”, is suing the editor-in-chief Matthew Bedard and CEO Luis Barajas for sexual harassment, sexual battery, and several other workplace violations, according to Vice News.
Joseph Dalla Betta, who uses them/they pronouns, instructed Vice News that while they were hired at L.A.-primarily based Flaunt in 2018, Luis Barajas’s assistant, Bedard and Barajas, started harassing them.
According to the lawsuit, Dalla Betta repeatedly recalled when Barajas touched them inappropriately. During a business experience to Las Vegas in August 2018, then 25-12 months, Dalla Betta alleges that Barajas insisted they sleep on his mattress and attempted to kiss them. Eventually, Dalla Betta pretended to fall asleep. Then, in line with Dalla Betta, Barajas started to masturbate Dalla Betta before masturbating himself.
“At that point, I clearly realized it changed into incorrect,” Dalla Betta instructed Vice News about the alleged Las Vegas attack. “But at the same, I nonetheless felt it becomes kind of the activity — something, like, I had to be given with a purpose to hold there.”
Dalla Beta reportedly advised a companion editor at Flaunt, Andie Eisen, approximately the incident, who confirmed the info to Vice News.
When Dalla Betta began working at Flaunt in early 2018, they had been instructed that the mag, which was based in 1998 and printed six issues each 12 months, was an “informal workplace.” They stated that they were handed a pamphlet approximaboutpany, which described it as “provocative and featuring a liberal attitude. Please be aware that this isn’t always your regular ‘workplace experience.'”
In October 2018, Dalla Betta stated that Matthew Bedard kissed him at a Flaunt celebration and slapped him thrice. The lawsuit alleges that “Bedard seemed very intoxicated and probably below the impact of cocaine or another drug.”
Eisen and every other worker named Jake Harrison say they witnessed the birthday party incident. She tried to prevent Bedard. However, he pulled away, “I said, ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ because I changed into status right there,” Eisen told Vice News. “I could see Joey become seeking to hold it together simply.”
Dalla Betta ceased Flaunt in December 2018 after different colleagues spoke to them about approximately comparable stories at the organization. “At that point, I simply — I crac,” Dalla Betta stated.
According to the lawsuit, Dalla Betta confronted Barajas, and Bedard had been faced with cases approximately the office subculture earlier than they left. “I understand that we mix expert and private relationships in this workplace, and if we need to split the one’s relationships from here on out, we will do this,” Barajas allegedly said, in step with the suit. “We will prevent doing cocaine with the interns.” Dalla Betta is seeking unspecified damages.
Barajas and Bedard have no longer addressed the allegations and declined Vice News’ request for comment. The Cut has reached out properly and could update if we listen returned.
