Kobe Bryant just got cancelled by an online petition

The athlete was axed by a film festival

Kobe Bryant just got cancelled by an online petition
Stars Insider

18/10/18 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Kobe bryant

The Lakers legend was set to participate in the jury of an upcoming Los Angeles' Animation is Film Festival, but it appears his Time's Up. 

Bryant's sexual assault allegations from 2003 have come back to haunt him, and it only took 159 signatures to cut him from the jury, TMZ reports.

In the era of #MeToo, and in a time where believing women is equally as important as not laying out a red carpet before those accused of rape, Bryant's past could not be ignored. If you don't remember what happened, he was arrested and charged with sexual assault, but when his accuser refused to testify, the case was dropped and he merely issued a public apology.

The group Woman and Allies on Change.org wouldn't let it slip by unnoticed. 

"We, women and allies of the animation community demand that accused rapist and sexual predator Kobe Bryant be removed from the Jury of Animation is Film Festival," the petition begins. 

The group takes specific issue with the fact that there has been "little to no recourse for Kobe Bryant’s actions of sexual assault," they demanded that the event producers remove him from the jury, thereby revoking "their complicity in enabling a sexual predator to continue a life without any accountability."

They also cite the festival's website which specifically states that one of their primary purposes is to "champion and support women filmmakers.”

The event organizers heard their words and chose not to set a bad example of leniency for sexual criminals, and to encourage a culture of respect for victims.

According to Deadline, Bryant responded to the news saying, “This decision further motivates me and my commitment to building a studio that focuses on diversity and inclusion in storytelling for the animation industry. I remain focused on changing the world in positive ways through diverse stories, characters, and leadership, in order to inspire the next generation.”

Bryant’s past allegations of sexual assault have spooked him before, particularly with another petition launched earlier this year when he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Though the petition called for him to rescind the nomination, he ended up winning the Oscar. 

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