Former WWE writer Britney Abrahams has filed a civil suit against the company regarding her termination and treatment while employed.
Abrahams worked for the company from November 2020 until being let go in April 2022 where she was brought on as a writer for SmackDown and gained permanent employment the following May.
The suit cites “claims of discriminatory treatment, harassment, hostile work environment, wrongful termination, and unlawful retaliation against the Plaintiff due to her race, color, and gender.”
Abrahams was one of the few Black writers on staff, along with Sylvers, who observed several of the complaints that are alleged.
Abrahams lists WWE as part of the defendants alongside Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Christine Lubrana (SVP of Creative Writing Relations), senior writers Jen Pepperman and Chris Dunn, and lead writers Ryan Callahan and Mike Heller.
The Plaintiff has also included witnesses Kyla Sylvers, Chad Barbash, Brian Parise, and Andrea Listenberger.
Among the issues that Abraham had included dialogue written for Bianca Belair that Abrahams viewed as offensive with the line for Belair written, “Uh-Uh, don’t make me take off my earrings and beat your ass”, which Abrahams stated was based upon “cruel, ugly stereotypes of dark-skinned, black women” with Abrahams voicing her concerns to Callahan by email, and that Belair repeatedly said she did not want to say.
Other complaints included a pitch involving Reggie (Scrypts) in NXT dressing in drag while he was paired with Carmella, the Apollo Crews’ character where he used a heavy Nigerian accent, and an idea for Shane Thorne to have a hunting gimmick and would capture Reggie, who would continually escape.
She also included a storyline idea for Aaliyah, Mansoor, and Angel Garza with the two men fighting over Aaliyah and it part of the story would be that Mansoor has a secret. The suit alleges that Callahan threw out the idea that Mansoor’s secret could be that he was behind the 9/11 attacks.
Abrahams believes that she was unfairly reprimanded for taking a WrestleMania 38 commemorative chair when it was indicated that she was free to take one after the show ended, as did other writers, and she was fired days later.
Abrahams is seeking a declaratory judgment in the state of New York, and damages to be determined at trial for loss of past and future income, wages, compensation, seniority, and all other benefits of employment and is also looking for punitive damages.
Abrahams is being represented by Derek Sell of The Cochrane Firm.
