--- title: "A Huge Wave of Sexual Harassment Allegations Just Hit SpaceX and Tesla" description: "Both The Verge and The Washington Post have published stories today of SpaceX and Tesla employees coming forward alleging rampant sexual harassment." date: "2021-12-14" modified: "2021-12-14" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/sexual-harassment-allegations-spacex-tesla" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Future Society" - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "sexual harassment" - "SpaceX" - "tesla" --- # A Huge Wave of Sexual Harassment Allegations Just Hit SpaceX and Tesla ![Both The Verge and The Washington Post have published stories today of SpaceX and Tesla employees coming forward alleging rampant sexual harassment.]() *\Image: Futurism\* Former SpaceX engineer Ashley Kosak isn't the only person [claiming]() that the space company's work culture is rotten with misogyny and sexual harassment. *The Verge* [reports that]() four other former SpaceX employees have come forward detailing similar complaints, including unwanted sexual advancements by male coworkers and other harassment. And that's not all. A mere hour after *The Verge* published the damning piece, *The Washington Post* [broke yet another story]() about several additional women suing Tesla — another Elon Musk-run company — over sexual harassment at the company's factory in Fremont, California. And that's on top of [several other harassment suits]() that have hit the electric carmaker over the last few weeks. In other words, it's an absolute PR disaster for Musk's portfolio — and one that paints an ugly picture of the work culture at both SpaceX and Tesla. It's a day of grim revelations that's also bound to put immense pressure on leadership, including Musk, who is the CEO of both companies, as well as SpaceX COO and president Gwynne Shotwell. In an email sent to employees before the stories came out over the weekend, as quoted by *The Verge*, Shotwell reiterated that violations of the company's "no A-hole" and harassment policies will not be tolerated. "If you are aware of, or experience any acts of harassment or discrimination, report it to your manager or any HR representative," she wrote in the email. Meanwhile at Tesla, Jessica Brooks, who currently works at the company's factory in Fremont and is one of the women suing the company, said she was forced to stack boxes around her workstation to stop men from making crude and unwanted advances. "I was so tired of the unwanted attention and the males gawking at me, I proceeded to create barriers around me just so I could get some relief," she told the *Post*, noting that she tried to conceal her backside with a flannel shirt she bought at a thrift store after being catcalled. "That was something I felt necessary just so I can do my job," she added. Neither SpaceX nor Tesla have yet commented on the many allegations to either the *Post* or *The Verge*. **READ MORE:** [Five former SpaceX employees speak out about harassment]() \[*The Verge*\] **More on the topic:** *[Former SpaceX Engineer Says She Was Sexually Harassed]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()