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Thanks to everyone for your kind words and support in the Eliza Dushku story yesterday. Mentioning that I have a #metoo story from my early teen years has helped me to be able to write about these type of stories without as much anxiety. I still feel sick and upset, but I have hope that things are changing, that this is a watershed moment for so many women, and that by opening up and supporting each other we are making changes for the next generation. I’m also hoping that these horrible monsters are being brought to justice. That’s what comes to mind when I hear that Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is finally facing charges. Many Olympic athletes have opened up about being victims of Nassar, including Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles. Nassar received 60 years in prison for child pornography. He plead guilty to approximately ten charges of sexual assault and is currently in sentencing hearings for those crimes.
McKayla Maroney is a victim too, and she accepted a settlement from Team USA that included an NDA clause stipulating that she would have to pay $100k if she ever spoke out publicly about Nassar’s abuse. Well Maroney wants to speak out against Nassar during his sentencing except it could potentially be expensive for her. She doesn’t have to worry about that now because several celebrities, including Chrissy Teigen and Kristen Bell, have offered to cover that fine for her. Other rich people are stepping up too.
Chrissy Teigen, Kristen Bell and The Good Place creator Michael Schur have taken to social media to give their support (financial and emotional) to Olympian McKayla Maroney, who may be fined $100,000 if she speaks out later this week about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced Team USA doctor, Larry Nassar, who was recently sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography.
In 2016, the gymnast received $1.25 million settlement from USA Gymnastics and agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of the deal, which also entails a $100,000 fine should she ever speak publicly about the molestation. But Maroney may break the NDA this week as she is one of 88 women who are currently scheduled to deliver victim impact statements at Nassar’s sentencing, which begins today and is set to run through Friday.
And while that amount may be a hefty sum—first Teigen and then Bell and Schur hopped on Twitter to say they’d pay the sum if need be.
Along with a screen grab of a headline regarding Maroney being fined if she speaks, Teigen tweeted on Tuesday, “The entire principle of this should be fought – an NDA to stay quiet about this serial monster with over 140 accusers, but I would be absolutely honored to pay this fine for you, McKayla.”
Schur then retweeted Teigen’s tweet and wrote “I’ll split it with you.” And then Bell retweeted Schur’s tweet and wrote, “I’ll 1/3 it with you.”
Also a “pension fund monitor for Fremulon Insurance” named Ken Tremendous has agreed to split the fee too. Many other Twitter users are vowing to help as well. Maroney is not on Twitter but she is so grateful for the support, she issued this statement to E!
Upon Teigen’s tweet, Maroney, who does not have social media, released a statement to E! News via her legal team, Manly, Stewart & Finaldi: “I’m not on social media right now, but I wish I was for this! I’m shocked by your generosity, and I just want you to know how much hope your words bring to all of us! I just can’t get over the fact that someone I don’t personally know is sticking up for me, let alone a strong women that I’ve looked up to for years!”
The 22-year-old wrote, “Thank you Chrissy, you’re so inspiring, and things are starting to change because of people like you! Just saying that was worth the decision to speak up regardless of a fine. You’re heart pure gold. God bless. All my love, McKayla.”
I hope that Schur, Teigen, Bell and all the other people who want to help don’t have to do this. I hope that Team USA realizes that they should in no way enforce these NDAs as it makes them look even more horrible than they already do for covering up for this creature’s crimes against young women, plus there may be some kind of obstruction of justice involved that could potentially invalidate the NDA. (Someone tweeted this, I have no idea if it’s the case here and I’m not a lawyer.) The celebrities and everyone who offered just did a wonderful thing though and brought awareness to this. As extra and as annoying as both Tiegen and Bell can be on social media, they champion good causes, their politics are admirable, and their hearts are in the right place. Now hopefully Nassar will rot in jail until he dies.
Update: USA Gymnastics has issued a statement that they will not pursue a fine against Maroney or any other athlete if they speak out about Nassar’s abuse. This was the right thing to do, and just about the only thing they could have done PR-wise.
photos credit: WENN and Getty
ken tremendous is mike schur and he’s amazing along with chrissy and kristen and mckayla.
I applaud them for this. I also genuinely wonder about the validity of NDAs, especially when dealing with criminal cases.
I strongly believe it would be in bad taste to fine her, to put it midly!
They don’t need anymore bad press.
+1 I can’t imagine an NDA holds any water in a court of law.
My guess is that there is some language in the NDA that says “we are giving you money but are also not admitting any wrong doing..blah blah” so that they an argue they are not *technically* knowingly covering up a crime…?
NDAs should be illegal in cases like this. Creepy rapey perverts should be publicized far and wide.
Let’s see about the validity of the NDAs procured for Donald Trump. ; 0
Yes!
I think Team USA have already said they will not be pursuing any financial penalties agaisnt her.
Good for Tiegen, and the others.
That’s true, they’ve waived the NDA
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/01/16/usa-gymnastics-mckayla-maroney-larry-nassar/1039025001/
That’s exactly what I would have advised them to do if I was their lawyer. Still props to those who made the offer to help.
Thank you! I should have caught this and will update.
The NDA screams team USA higher ups knew about the abuse.
I’m always disgusted when anyone’s defense for something reprehensible like this is: “I wasn’t the only one that knew…” UGH. I very much appreciate all those who said they’d pay any fine; it seems there really is change afoot, thank goodness.
This!
The NDA was negotiated after the scandal was public. Nonetheless, USAG has handled the entire thing very poorly.
It’s also important to note the settlement was reached, theoretically, to give McKayla money to pay for health care, and it was contingent on her silence – which is not to distinguish it between an NDA and something else. It’s still slimy for USAG to do it and I’m not defending that at all, but lest anyone think McKayla was just looking for a payout, the money had a purpose.
You know, I have to go to court over of assets with my ex next month, and I have to discuss how he used violence and abuse to force me to financially agree to things (or overlook things) that I was in no agreement with. The timing of women being able to speak out, and be heard, and not feel like they owe it to a man to protect him, is entirely empowering. Seeing literally thousands of women stand up and call a spade a spade, rightfully out their abusers, makes me realize not only that I can too, but that I must, and I will be heard. This movement is powerful and every single story like this is building the foundation we need. I pray the next generation deals with substantially less than we have had to, thanks to movements like this and the women who are standing up.
Wishing you good luck!!
And I agree about how useful this is for future generations.
a person can not use force in any way to force someone to sign an agreement. Be strong and know you have legions of women on your side!
Yes, wishing you luck n id say strength, but not that you need it. 😉❤️ I think we were taught about third-wave feminism when i was in college? That just means that the struggle isn’t over, there’s always something to fight for to make it easier for our sisters (ok, im getting too cheesy here). But yes, wishing you all the luck in the world.
I’ve always liked chrissy. I adore her and john. This just proves to me that people can indeed put their money where their mouth is and ideals are more important than bottom lines. I’m seriously so touched.
Best of luck to you Emily!
Best wishes, Emily. You are stronger than you knew, and maybe tomorrow we’ll all be stronger! Hope you have a great new start in 2018.
Good luck! You will prevail.
The movement got me to confront someone I needed to confront, too. It is empowering.
More power to you, Emily! We have your back. You are right and just in your cause. You are empowered and are a force to be reckoned with!
Good luck Emily!! Fight back with all you have! We are rooting for you!!
There are NDAs and NDAs, but NDAs covering sexual violence should not be acceptable or legally binding. In fact, prohibiting NDAs on sexual violence should be codified into law.
Yes!! This should be made law
It has been made law in several states including California. But there was so mms e question about the one McKayla signed because it was apparently before the law changed.
Yes!! Definitely.
Seconding (thirding, fourthing) this. NDAs as coverups for crimes are an utter travesty and nothing but a way to attempt to make the victims and witnesses complicit in keeping things quiet.
Good on Chrissy for sticking up for McKayla though.
Agreed. I have no issue with them involving company products and data or whatever, or people wanting to prevent their personal employees from gossiping about them, but they should never, ever be used to cover up a crime. Especially one as serious as this.
When I heard about the fine yesterday, I thought someone could do a kickstarter and having it paid in minutes. Glad to see many awesome people have her back. USAG should be ashamed of themselves for so many things, waiving the fine is truly the least they could do. I hope, if McKayla wants to, she has the opportunity to speak.
The number of women hurt by just one predator like Nassar shows how women in general are kept down in society. And this abuse has generational consequences. I know, because as I’ve said here before, my mother’s abuse had a noxious influence on our family. I feel like these NDAs should be illegal.
I think this is beautiful, and the greatest thing to come from this past year – really seeing women come together as sisters. I think for a lot of us it was a true kick in the gut to see Dotard “elected,” helped us re-evaluate and come together to be stronger. If this causes fear in the heart of some men – good.
Hugs 🙂
I love the love shown by these women for each other..what a terrible, awful, horrible situation these young girls had to endure. Watching some of them give their statements yesterday was terrible to hear. Someone complained about Chrissy broadcasting her generosity over social media, I say bull crap…her generosity ended up being contagious. Good for her. Sometimes social media is conducive to great things!
It’s great. Maybe others who have signed NDAs involving abuse will be helped in this way too.
NDAs should not be legally binding in cases of assault and abuse. Period. Mad respect to Teigen, Bell and Schur for stepping up and bringing this to attention. I know people like to rag on Teigen because she can be so extra sometimes but her heart and her politics have always been in the right place. Same goes for Bell.
This is the support women need! (Grinning ear to ear over here).
It can be so empowering for any victim of sexual assault to be able to tell his or her story publicly, IF the timing is of one’s own choosing. You release any last vestige of feeling YOU have to be ashamed, and you put the blame and anger squarely where it belongs. For some people, you can even know you may have leped prevent someone else from going through it. I’m very glad Celebitchy felt strong enough to share her story with us, and I’m SO glad McKayla will have her say in court. To be victimized, and then denied a voice when you felt called to speak out, would be awful.
The fact that someone can be induced to sign an NDA to cover up a crime and that the courts might find damages for “breaking” such an agreement – it’s beyond insane to me. THAT is patriarchy at work.