*World Wrestling Entertainment and Vince McMahon are being sued by a former writer over what she calls “offensively racist and stereotypical jargon” in scripts.
Britney Abrahams, a Black woman, worked for WWE Smackdown! and WWE Monday Night RAW in 2020. According to multiple reports, she claims the show uses stereotypical language in scripts for Black wrestlers like Bianca Belair and Apollo Crews.
According to the complaint, the scripts had Belair saying, “Uh-Uh! Don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your a–!” and Crews speaking with a “stereotypical and exaggerated Nigerian accent.”
Abrahams said after she complained about the racist writing, not only were her concerns ignored but McMahon and his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, continued to pitch racist storylines.
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According to Abrahams, one pitch included having a Black wrestler dress in drag. When a White colleague suggested the skit could “perpetuate harmful stereotypes that would offend viewers,” the idea was canned.
Another story pitch was to have a Muslim wrestler claim responsibility for the 9/11 attacks.
Abrahams said when she and other writers complained about the racist and sexist story ideas and pitches, Vice President Christine Lubrano reportedly said, “Wacky things are said in the writer’s room all the time!” and “I know but look at the waves we’re making in the company. 4 years ago, no woman worked on the writer’s team!”
The WWE ultimately fired Abrahams in April 2022 after she took a chair with a WrestleMania 38 logo on it. She said the move was retaliation for her objections to the racist story ideas. The complaint alleges that white male writers are never punished for taking chairs, even though taking chairs is a “common” practice.
Per the complaint, Abrahams is reportedly seeking “reinstatement, damages, declaratory judgment, and an injunction restraining defendants from engaging in such unlawful conduct.”
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