Time’s Up CEO resigns after sexual assault allegations against her son
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lisa Borders has resigned as president and CEO of Time's Up, the gender equality initiative formed in 2018, in response to sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
Lisa Borders, the CEO of Time’s Up, resigned from her post this week after following sexual assault allegations against her son, the gender equality group announced.
Borders initially cited “family concerns that require my singular focus” when she resigned.
"TIME'S UP unequivocally supports all survivors of sexual harassment and abuse," the organization said in a statement. “On Friday, Lisa Borders informed members of TIME’S UP leadership that sexual assault allegations had been made against her son in a private forum. Within 24 hours, Lisa made the decision to resign as President and CEO of TIME’S UP and we agreed that it was the right decision for all parties involved.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ANTI-HARASSMENT GROUP 'TIME'S UP' LAUNCHED BY HOLLYWOOD INSIDERS TO SUPPORT VICTIMS
The organization was founded in 2017 in response to the #MeToo movement. The group focuses on gender parity and sexual harassment in the workplace. Borders did not respond to a Los Angeles Times request for comment.
Her departure comes after a woman alleged in a post on a private Facebook group that her son, Garry “Dijon” Bowden Jr., had been sexually inappropriate with her during a healing massage session. Celia Gellert, 31, told the Times she felt violated when Bowden allegedly kissed her neck, touched her genitalia and rubbed his clothed genitalia against her. She went public with her experience on Facebook “because I don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bowden’s attorney Alan Jackson denied the allegations against his client.
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“My client vehemently denies that any inappropriate or nonconsensual touching occurred at any time,” Jackson told the paper.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Borders was hired by Time’s Up in October with much fanfare. She previously served as the president of the WNBA and vice president at Coca-Cola.