B. Scott, the Internet and T.V. personality known for his feminine style, is suing Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Viacom. According to a press release, Scott is suing for $2.5 million on the basis of “gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation discrimination.”
As many already know, Scott was invited to host the Style Stage on the red carpet for the 2013 BET Awards Pre-Show in June. He said he was told to change his outfit, pull back his hair and remove his heels after already hosting his first segment. Scott details in an open letter on his website that his outfits had been approved before the big day.
BET issued the following apology after the incident:
“BET Networks embraces global diversity in all its forms and seeks to maintain an inclusive workforce and a culture that values all perspectives and backgrounds. The incident with B. Scott was a singular one with a series of unfortunate miscommunications from both parties. We regret any unintentional offense to B. Scott and anyone within the LGBT community and we seek to continue embracing all gender expressions.”
Scott is not satisfied, though.
“While I want nothing more than to put this incident behind me and move on with my life, I still wholeheartedly believe that I’m entitled to a true public apology,” Scott stated on his website. “BET’s non-apology statement added more insult to injury. What happened to me was not a ‘miscommunication’ nor was it ‘unintentional’. It was wrong.”
Scott has worked with BET as a host in the past, but this is the first time he’s encountered such an issue. Photos of Scott’s outfits can be seen on his website, www.lovebscott.com.