TikTok is facing a gender discrimination lawsuit from a former top marketing executive who argues she was fired because the social media platform desired “docility and meekness” from female staffers.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by TheWrap, was filed on Thursday in Manhattan federal court. The plaintiff is Katie Ellen Puris, who was the global head of brand and creative at TikTok.
Puris claims she faced multiple forms of discrimination while working for TikTok and was “ultimately unlawfully terminated,” according to a court filing.
The lawsuit says Puris was fired after she began to meet regularly with Lidong Zhang, who is the chairman of TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance.