Sudden resignation of TIME’S UP CEO comes as son is accused of sexual misconduct

The head of the gender equality movement TIMES UP said she was leaving because of family issues, but it apparently was for a different reason

TIMEs Up
Lisa Borders, President and C.E.O., TIMES UP speaks at the New York Times DealBook conference on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

Earlier this week the head of the Time’s Up movement had reportedly stepped down due to “family concerns,” but in new developments surfacing Friday, she has apparently stepped down from her post after her son was accused of a sexually inappropriate act during a healing massage.

READ MORE: Time’s Up CEO Lisa Borders resigns due to family issues

Borders joined the organization that champions gender equality as CEO with great fanfare last October after leaving her position as the president of the WNBA. But according to new reports, her son, Garry ‘Dijon’ Bowden Jr., who is a life coach, allegedly touched the genitalia of a female client during a ‘healing session’ and kissed her on the cheek.

Celia Gellert told the Los Angeles Times  that on January 21st, Bowden brushed his erect penis against her during a healing massage. But Bowden’s lawyer, Alan Jackson, said the allegations were false, and sent the publication screenshots of text messages sent by Gellert after the healing session stating that it was, “gentle and authentic and loving.”

Gellert initially shared her account of the incident in a private Facebook group, where she explained she didn’t want it to happen to anyone else and to “speak my truth.”

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“Lisa Borders informed members of TIME’S UP leadership that sexual assault allegations had been made against her son in a private forum,” read a statement from the organization released early Friday.

Borders made the decision to resign within 24 hours after the allegations emerged.

“We agreed that it was the right decision for all parties involved,” the group said. “All of our actions were fully guided by our support for survivors.”

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