Netflix

Netflix Loses Motion to Dismiss Mo'Nique's Race and Gender Bias Lawsuit

Mo'Nique alleges that the $500,000 the streaming service offered her for a standup special "perpetuated the pay gap suffered by Black women"

Actress Mo'Nique in 2019.
Aaron Poole / NBCUniversal

A federal judge has denied Netflix's second motion to dismiss a race and gender discrimination lawsuit from comedian Mo'Nique, who alleges in the suit that the $500,000 the streaming service offered her in 2017 for a standup special "wreaked of discrimination" and "perpetuated the pay gap suffered by Black women" and that her business dealings with Netflix "ended with a blacklisting act of retaliation."

“Mo’Nique plausibly alleges that, after she spoke out and called her initial offer discriminatory, Netflix retaliated against her by shutting down its standard practice of negotiating in good faith that typically results in increased monetary compensation beyond the ‘opening offer’ and denying her increased compensation as a result," said Judge Andre Birotte Jr. Wednesday, according to court documents. "While Netflix argues that the novelty of Mo’Nique’s claim and the absence of on-point legal authority for it should bar her retaliation claims outright, the Court disagrees."

News of Birotte Jr.'s recent denial of Netflix's motion to throw out Mo'Nique's case, allowing the lawsuit to move forward, was first reported by Deadline.

In a 2019 suit, the comedian and Oscar award-winning actress argues that Netflix approached her "with a discriminatory low-ball offer" in comparison to her colleagues, particularly those who are white and male.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

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