Celebrities Are Taking a Stand Against Dr. Luke

And exposing how widespread his alleged abuse might really be.

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On Friday, Kesha burst into tears as Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich ruled that the singer will remain under contract with Sony and Dr. Luke, the music producer that she is suing for emotional, mental, and sexual abuse. The day before the court date, Kesha posted an emotional message on Instagram in which she wrote, "this is not just for me. this is for every woman, every human who has ever been abused. sexually. emotionally. mentally."

Under Friday's ruling, the judge says the singer is not obligated to continue working with Dr. Luke (whose real name is Luke Gottwald), and noted that Sony had provided her with the opportunity to collaborate with other producers. However, Kesha's attorney claimed that there was nothing concrete to back up those promises, and that the star is worried Sony will refuse to promote her music if she is paired with another partner. 

Dozens of fans gathered outside of the NYC courthouse to support Kesha

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A petition to release her from her Sony contract has already gained over 120,000 signatures, and the hashtag #FreeKesha is trending on social media. But more public encouragement has come from celebrities themselves, who have joined the fight and extended their support to Kesha. 

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Diana Bruk
Viral Content Editor

My writing has regularly appeared in The New York Times, The Paris Review, Salon, VICE, Guernica, The New York Observer, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Esquire, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more publications.

I was previously the Senior News Editor at Best Life Online and the Viral Content Editor in the Newsroom of Hearst Digital Media. My portfolio consists of a vast and diverse body of work that includes personal essays, lifestyle articles, breaking news posts, and viral content. My areas of expertise, however, are Russia, sex and relationships, and mental wellness.