Time's Up CEO resigns after sexual assault allegations against son
Time's Up is an anti-harassment group formed in response to the flood of narratives from survivors that kept pouring in towards the end of 2017 after the floodgates were opened by the #MeToo movement. Lisa Borders was the CEO of this organization but resigned recently, as we reported. Now it appears that she resigned because of sexual assault allegations against her son. Here's more.
Borders decided to resign less than four months on the job, due to some 'family concerns'. Notably, the 61-year-old left her position as the President of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in October and took her position as the CEO of Time's Up. In her absence, Rebecca Goldman, the Chief Operating Officer, will take charge as interim CEO while looking for a replacement.
On Friday, February 22, Time's Up released a statement that detailed exactly why Borders resigned from the position of CEO. They said that 'Lisa Borders informed members of Time's Up that sexual assault allegations had been made against her son in a private forum'. However, no details of the allegation were revealed and Borders' attorney did not return a request for further comment.
Borders' resignation obviously comes at a time when she has to face a conflict of interest if she continued to head an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault while her son was being accused of the same crime. Thus, in this context, the organization stated that Borders decided to resign 'and we agreed it was the right decision for all parties'.
Time's Up initiative was announced on January 1, 2018, following the stream of allegations from women in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Hollywood heavyweights including Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes and Reese Witherspoon, joined in this, vowing to fight systemic sexual harassment, offering legal aid at all levels. The group made their presence felt at 2018's Golden Globes with Oprah Winfrey championing their cause.
