The tables have turned in the saga of transgender celebrity journalist B. Scott and BET after a judge ruled in favor of the network for a discrimination lawsuit in April.
BET is now coming out Scott for a hefty chunk of change to the tune of $150,000.
Via TMZ:
B. Scott — the transgender host who went to war with BET — turned down the network’s offer to settle their ongoing lawsuit … and the gamble could end up costing him 6 figures.
As TMZ first reported, Scott lost his lawsuit against BET after suing for discrimination. He claimed network execs forced him to change into men’s clothes at the BET Awards last year.
Losing the case left Scott on the hook for BET’s attorney’s fees … which, according to court docs obtained by TMZ, totaled $279,000! But in a letter to Scott, his former employer offered to let him off easy for a mere $15,000 … IF he promised to drop any appeals.
Scott opted to roll the dice — he rejected the offer, filed an appeal, and now BET is going after him for the fees again … demanding at least $150K.
Scott’s not backing down, telling us … “No one will tell me who I should be, how I should present myself, or what I do with my life.”
A judge will decide what he does with his money.
B. Scott had much to say in response to the new lawsuit on his Facebook page.
It’s been a little over a month since Judge Yvette Palazuelos ruled against my freedom of gender identity and expression under protection of the First Amendment and in that time BET/Viacom’s legal team has done everything in their power to stop me from appealing the ruling.
I was most recently given an ultimatum.
Either I choose not to proceed with my legal right to appeal, or BET/Viacom will come after me for $150,000 in legal fees.
I declined their offer, filed my appeal, and they’ve since taken legal action against me.
It’s shameful that BET/Viacom, a multiBILLION dollar company, is harassing me because I chose to continue my fight for freedom of gender expression. This is just another example of the bullying I’ve endured throughout this entire process.
Enough is enough.
I’ve always read about how corporations use their money and legal influence to hinder victims’ abilities to be heard but now I know how it feels from firsthand experience and it’s unfathomable how far BET/Viacom is willing to go just to be malicious.
No one will tell me who I should be, how I should present myself, or what I do with my life.
Everyone has a right to be exactly who they are and not a single person or corporation in this world should be able to tell you who to be and when to be it.
I would encourage my love muffins to break free of the chains that restrict you from being who you are. Never let people’s negative thoughts about you hinder you from accomplishing what God put in your heart.
Dare to dream and dare to live it.
Social media expands the range of one’s feelings and flip through the gallery below to see some of the Twitter darts sent BET President Stephen G. Hill’s way.
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Photos: Twitter/B.Scott
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