Former Meta director alleges sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation

Kelly Stonelake, a former director at Meta, has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. The lawsuit, cited by TechCrunch, was submitted in Washington state. The lawsuit claims that Stonelake experienced gender-based discrimination and harassment throughout her 15-year tenure at Meta, previously known as Facebook. Stonelake accuses Meta of failing to address her reports of sexual harassment and claims she was retaliated against after flagging a video game as racist and unsafe for minors. She also alleges that she was consistently overlooked for promotions in favour of male colleagues.

Stonelake, who was laid off in January 2024, was on extended medical leave for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she attributes to the discriminatory environment at Meta. She continues to receive medical treatment, as stated in the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court. Meta has declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing ongoing litigation.

The lawsuit details incidents of harassment and retaliation, starting from an early company event in 2009, where a colleague allegedly touched Stonelake inappropriately. She hesitated to report the incident, fearing inaction. In 2011, her manager allegedly attempted to coerce her into a sexual relationship, suggesting it was necessary for her promotion. After refusing, Stonelake claims she was denied promotions and that her manager faced no repercussions. Her transfer to Meta's Seattle office in 2012 and eventual promotion to director in 2017 did not put an end to the alleged discrimination.

During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, Stonelake confronted her manager for using a Blue Lives Matter symbol on his Facebook profile, which she perceived as a rebuttal to BLM. She reported his racially charged comments to HR but claims no action was taken. She further alleges being passed over for promotions while male colleagues advanced.

In 2022, Stonelake moved to Meta's Reality Labs to oversee marketing for Horizon Worlds, a virtual reality social platform. She raised concerns about safety and content moderation on the platform, reporting that Black avatars faced racial slurs during internal tests. After voicing these concerns, Stonelake claims she was excluded from meetings and denied another promotion in January 2023. Subsequently, she took emergency medical leave for PTSD and suicidal thoughts, and was later laid off during company-wide job cuts.

Reflecting on her time at Meta, Stonelake expressed disappointment, stating that she once believed in Mark Zuckerberg's vision for a connected world. She questioned whether positive moments, such as Zuckerberg's participation in San Francisco Pride and his Harvard commencement speech, were genuine. Stonelake noted that as she advanced in her career, she observed a decrease in tolerance for challenges among senior male colleagues.