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Justin Bieber accused of ‘degrading women’ by choreographer

'I regret working under your name'

Wednesday 03 July 2019 09:25 BST

(Rex Features)

Justin Bieber has been accused of “degrading women” by choreographer Emma Portner, who worked with the pop star on his Purpose World Tour in 2016.

The 24-year-old dancer, who is married to actor Ellen Page, claims Bieber “barely” paid her minimum wage, leaving her unable to buy food while she was working for him.

Writing on her Instagram story, Portner explained: “I was sweeping studio floors to be able to practice my own craft. The way you degrade women is an abomination.

“I regret working under your name,” she added.

“I gave your universe my naive body, creativity, time and effort. Twice. For content you made millions off of.

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

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1/10All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Jemima Kirke an Lena Dunham

The Long-term BFFs arrived together at the gala and sported coordinating ‘fetish’ outfits. Kirke was photographed wearing a black shift dress with the word ‘Looner’ emblazoned across the front, which is in reference to the popular term for people with balloon fetishes. Meanwhile, Dunham wore a similar ensemble with the word ‘Rubberist’ printed on the front and a pair of gloves, which is nod to the term for those with a fetish for wearing rubber.

PA

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Clare Waight Keller and Gal Gadot

Gadot was accompanied on the pink carpet with Givenchy creative director Claire Weight Keller, dressed in a white cape dress in lacquered guipure, teamed with a black bodysuit in silk knit, and black high-boots. The actor teamed the look with a silver headband with metal, crystal, and pearl detailing.

EPA

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Naomi Campbell and Joan Collins

Collins walked the red carpet alongside Campbell in a feathered, Valentino gown teamed with diamonds wrapped around her neck and a tiara. Meanwhile, Campbell matched in a baby pink Valentino gown which received a wind tunnel effect courtesy of an assistant who fanned the feathers on the dress as the model posed on the red carpet.

REUTERS

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Victoria Iglesias and Cristina Iglesias

The twin sisters, who are the siblings of singer Enrique Inglesias, matched in one-shouldered feather numbers in baby blue and baby pink. The pair also teamed their looks with identical nude-coloured heels.

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All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Rita Ora and Kate Moss

The par posed together at the met gala, alongside designer Marc Jacob, Jacob’s husband Char Defrancesco, and singer Lizzo at the event in contrasting ensembles by the designer. “#MetGala with my beautiful dates @themarcjacobs and #KateMoss!,” Rita wrote on her Instagram.

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All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Anna Wintour and Bee Shaffer

Wintour walked the pink carpet with her daughter Bee Shaffer. The US Vogue editor-in-chief wore a Chanel cape and dress designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld. Meanwhile, Shaffer wore a Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen black and crimson-coloured trouser suit.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Sophie Von Haselberg and Bette Midler

Middler and her daughter wore some Hocus Pocus-inspired gowns for the occasion. The actor wore a blue and green sequined gown on the red carpet while her daughter wore what appeared to be a fire-inspired dress complete with a red and orange feathered headdress.

Getty Images

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner

The famous sisters wore twinning feathered gowns to the Met Gala, designed by Versace. Kendall wore a sheer, bright orange, feathered dress, while Kylie opted for a lavender-feathered dress with a matching coloured wig.

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All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

The Olsen twins appeared to shun the Camp theme altogether, opting to wear matching Chanel Couture leather dresses. Ashley opted for a long coat dress teamed with knee-high snakeskin boots, while her sister styled a black leather jacket with a floor-skimming skirt. They pair, who first made an appearance at the gala in 2005, also centre-parted their hair and wore thick eyeliner for the occasion.

PA

All the women who celebrated the sisterhood at the Met Gala 2019

Annie Leibovitz and family

Photographer Annie Leibovitz wore a black trouser suit for the gala with a ruffled white collared shirt while her three daughters - Samuelle, Susan and Sarah – wore an array of pink and metallic gowns that perfectly complemented the pink carpet.

REUTERS

“While I made zilch. Natta. Barely anything. Less than minimum wage for the hours I invested.”

Portner said that someone of Bieber’s status holds “immense power” and urged him to “use it to stop degrading women”.

The choreographer’s comments come days after model Cara Delevingne urged Bieber to “spend less time sticking up for men and more time trying to understand women”.

Delevingne made the remark in a comment on the singer’s Instagram page – which appears to have since been deleted – after Bieber alleged that Taylor Swift had used her rift with music manager Scooter Braun to gain sympathy.

On Sunday, Swift published a Tumblr post expressing her concerns that Braun, who discovered Bieber on YouTube in 2007 and has represented him ever since, will own her music following his company’s deal with Big Machine Records, Swift’s former label.

The “You Need to Calm Down” singer accused Braun of “incessant, manipulative bullying”, prompting Bieber to rush to his defence and accuse Swift of unfairly getting “people to hate on Scooter” by writing the Tumblr post.

Delevingne responded by asking Bieber why he chose to criticise a woman online.

“As a married man, you should be lifting women up instead of tearing them down because you are threatened,” she said.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Portner and Bieber for further comment.

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