Cards Against Humanity co-founder Max Temkin has been forced to step down following allegations of racism and sexism.
At least 21 former employees at the game’s Chicago office spoke to Polygon amid claims he created a culture which was harmful to black and female staff members.
Temkin was one of eight people who helped create the self billed ‘party game for horrible people’ through a Kickstarter campaign in 2010. He faced an allegation of sexual assault in 2014, something he strenuously denies.
A number of former workers have now taken to social media to share their experiences working with Temkin at the politically incorrect game. The company in a statement admits it ‘made a lot of mistakes’.
Allegations include one former employee who said he ‘tried to have them fired when they complained about a suggestion to put the N-word into the game’.
Cards Against Humanity denies this, saying: ‘Cards Against Humanity has never and would never print the N-word written out.’
The point of the game is to choose an answer to a ‘fill-in-the-blank’ card – the winner of each round is the person who has chosen the most shocking and offensive answer card.
Cards Against Humanity co-founder Max Temkin has been forced to step down amid allegations of racism and sexism. At least 21 former employees have spoken out
Eli Halpern, from left, co-founder Max Temkin, Dave Pinsof and Eliot Weinstein of Cards Against Humanity LLC., pose with their popular game in 2013. Temkin was one of eight people who helped create the self billed ‘party game for horrible people’ in 2010
The point of the game is to choose an answer to a ‘fill-in-the-blank’ card – the winner of each round is the person who has chosen the most shocking and offensive answer card
Another ex worker posted to Twitter on June 6 calling the company ‘abusive’.
Elaine Short wrote on Twitter: ‘I was told if I continued dating a person Max’s friend had a crush on, I’d be fired. I was 25, this was my second professional job in Chicago, and I didn’t just feel powerless, I felt humiliated.’
And one, Anita Sarkeesian, wrote a Medium blog post in which she said: ‘No one was safe from personal and professional attacks, and it’s clear that marginalized team members — most notably Black employees and Black women — were purposely hurt the most.’
Sarkeesian added: ‘Workplace abuse and gaslighting is a part of the culture at [Cards Against Humanity].
‘Things are worse for those Max has direct power over, and they are worst of all for his female employees, who are most likely to suffer real harm from social punishment.
‘Women he has employed, and especially women of colour, are legitimately afraid of having their careers sabotaged by speaking out against him. There is a very real, very deep fear of speaking up, because of how much power Max holds.’
Their lack of HR department is said to have been an ‘open joke’, around the office helping to create the culture of fear, Polygon reports.
In a lengthy statement Tuesday the company said Temkin resigned on June 9, writing: ‘Max Temkin stepped down and no longer has any active role at Cards Against Humanity.
‘We want to apologize to employees who were unheard or disrespected in our office.
‘We are truly sorry. We also want to state unequivocally that we condemn harassment of anyone who has posted stories about their experiences at Cards Against Humanity.’
Allegations include one former employee who said he ‘tried to have them fired when they complained about a suggestion to put the N-word into the game’. Cards Against Humanity denies this, saying: ‘Cards Against Humanity has never and would never print the N-word written out’
A number of former workers have now taken to social media to share their experiences working with Temkin at the politically incorrect game
Elaine Short wrote on Twitter: ‘I was told if I continued dating a person Max’s friend had a crush on, I’d be fired. I was 25, this was my second professional job in Chicago, and I didn’t just feel powerless, I felt humiliated’
The company admits Max’s managerial duties ‘were reduced a few years ago…in response to complaints from staff’, but said: ‘It is now clear that we did not fully appreciate the severity of the problem.’
They added: ‘We are committed to rebuilding a workplace that the partners and staff can be proud of. It is our responsibility to see this through.’
Of the 2014 sexual assault allegation Temkin, who remains a one-eighth shareholder of the company, told Polygon: ‘Today, unfortunately, a false allegation has reemerged and as I have publicly done before, I continue to maintain my innocence.
‘I have never sexually assaulted anyone and I was shocked when this same false allegation was first shared in 2014. In 33 years, no one else has ever accused me of sexual assault or any other non-consensual behavior.’
The company in a statement admits it ‘made a lot of mistakes’