Abuse in the workplace is too often silenced. Actress Charisma Carpenter has just set a precedent for workers everywhere.
Early this morning, actress Charisma Carpenter spoke out against director Joss Whedon, accusing the Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator of verbal abuse and toxic workplace behaviour during her time on the show.
Her Twitter post has since gone viral, with fellow co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Trachtenberg, Amber Benson (Tara), and Clare Kramer (Glory) also speaking out in support.
“These memories and more have weighed on my soul like bricks for nearly half of my life,” Carpenter told fans in her post. “I wish I said something sooner. I wish I had the composure and courage all those years ago. But I muted myself in shame and conditional silence.”
Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top. @AllCharisma is speaking truth and I support her 100%. There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later. #IStandWithRayFisher #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter https://t.co/WJAmDGm76C
— Amber Benson (@amber_benson) February 10, 2021
The actress, known for her role as Cordelia Chase, accused Whedon of continuously threatening to fire her, mocking her religious beliefs, and body shaming her during her pregnancy. She also claimed that Whedon’s abuse triggered a “chronic physical condition from which I still suffer.”
Carpenter was not the first to speak out against Whedon either, as Justice League star Ray Fisher accused the director of abusive behaviour last year.
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With creatives emerging from far and wide sharing their own encounters with Joss Whedon, Carpenter’s bravery has shown that workplace abuse and toxic behaviour will never go silenced.
If you are experiencing bullying or abuse in the workplace, you can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman here.
