Joss Whedon's ex-wife has published an essay that calls the screenwriter and director's feminist views into question.
Whedon is a “hypocrite preaching feminist ideals,” according to an essay for The Wrap by Kai Cole, who recently divorced Whedon after 16 years of marriage.
Cole said Whedon had physical and emotional affairs for 15 years of their marriage and that he hid the affairs from her, which she said took away her “right to make choices” for her life and her body “based on the truth.”
She also said he “used his relationship with [her] as a shield, both during and after [their] marriage” in order to avoid criticism of his life and marriage.
Cole claimed Whedon's lies made her question herself and said she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD after she found out about the affairs. She said Whedon admitted to “poisoning” her “subtly, over the years” by lying to her about the affairs even when she questioned his close relationships with other women.
Whedon has been viewed by many as a champion of feminist ideals since creating “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and various Marvel movies in which strong female characters were portrayed.
A spokesperson for Whedon said the essay contained “inaccuracies and misrepresentations,” but that he wouldn’t comment any more “out of concern for his children and out of respect for his ex-wife,” The Wrap reported.
Many Twitter users supported Cole and didn’t seem too surprised at her accusations against Whedon.