There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s give it a go.
Allison Ettel, the San Francisco woman dubbed Permit Patty after pretending to call the cops on an eight-year-old girl selling bottled water outside her house, has resigned from her medicinal-cannabis-for-pets company.
Phew.
Ettel, who recently achieved the worst kind of notoriety when her insanely petty actions were plastered across social media, is no longer the CEO of Bay Area-company Treatwell Health.
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In a statement obtained by TV station KRON4, Treatwell Health spokesperson Cynthia Gonzalez denied that Ettel’s actions were motivated by any racial bias (Ettel is white; the young girl, Jordan Rodgers, is black).
“We are aware of the tumultuous tide of racism in this country and agree that its very existence has no place anywhere,” the statement reads, adding “as a company we refute all notions of prejudice.”
However, the statement admits Ettel made a mondo fuck-up regardless, and that “this decision, while not an easy one, is in the best interest of their patients.”
The San Diego Tribune reports that at least six outlets have stopped selling Treatwell Health products as a result of the ordeal. That’s up from three confirmed outlets just a couple of days ago.
Ettel’s resignation comes amid continual discussions about the incident, and its interwoven power imbalances: after all, a white adult entrepreneur with access to capital feigned calling the cops on a black child who was essentially trying to make pocket money.
It’s a lot to take in, but the optics are not great under any circumstances.
If you really want to, you can read Treatwell Health’s full statement HERE.
