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 a number of other workplace violations, according to Vice News.
Joseph Dalla Betta, who makes use of by them/they pronouns, instructed Vice News that whilst they have been hired at L.A.-primarily based Flaunt in 2018 as Luis Barajas’s personal assistant, Bedard, and Barajas started harassing them.
According to the lawsuit, Dalla Betta recalled numerous times when Barajas touched them inappropriately. During a business experience to Las Vegas in August 2018, then 25-12 months-antique Dalla Betta alleges that Barajas insisted they sleep in 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 approximately the alleged Las Vegas attack. “But at the equal time, I nonetheless felt it become kind of part 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 first began working at Flaunt in early 2018, they had been instructed that the mag, which was based in 1998 and prints six issues each 12 months, was an “informal workplace.” They stated that they had been handed a pamphlet approximately the company, which described it as “provocative and feature a modern and 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 — then slapped him in the face 3 times. The lawsuit alleges that “Bedard seemed to be very intoxicated and probably below the impact of cocaine or another drug.”
Eisen, along with every other worker named Jake Harrison, says that they witnessed the birthday party incident. She tried to prevent Bedard, however, he pulled away, “I said, ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ due to the fact I changed into status right there,” Eisen told Vice News. “I could see Joey become seeking to simply hold it together.”
Dalla Betta ceases Flaunt in December 2018 after different colleagues spoke to them approximately comparable stories at the organization. “At that point, I simply — I cracked,” Dalla Betta stated.
According to the lawsuit, Dalla Betta confronted Barajas and Bedard had been faced with lawsuits 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 as properly and could update if we listen returned.
