Social media influencer Alix Earle has filed a lawsuit against British fitness brand Gymshark, claiming the company owes her $1 million (£770,000) after they prematurely ended a sponsorship deal with her. The lawsuit, filed in the High Court, asserts that Gymshark cut the deal short in late 2023 after Earle faced backlash over her pro-Israel views, particularly with the ongoing Israel-Palestine war.

Earle, who has made a name for herself as an influencer and the host of the Hot Mess podcast, had signed a contract with Gymshark that required her to produce content featuring the brand, including three TikTok videos and four Instagram posts. However, according to court filings, the partnership was terminated in January 2024 after the brand faced criticism for its association with the influencer.

As reported by The Times, in 2023, Earle shared several social media posts expressing support for Israel amid the latest development in the Israel-Palestine war, which led to online backlash. One of her posts on Instagram urged her followers to “stand with the people of Israel.”

The criticism directed at Earle for her stance reportedly reached Gymshark’s executives, with some even accusing the brand of endorsing a “Zionist” viewpoint, despite the brand’s efforts to be inclusive.

However, Earle’s recent lawsuit argues that Gymshark’s decision to end the deal was unjust, particularly because her pro-Israel views were expressed before any official partnership had been signed. The influencer claims that Gymshark’s reaction to the backlash was unwarranted and that the company should honour the full terms of their agreement. She is now seeking compensation for the $1 million she believes she is owed due to the abrupt termination of the deal.

In response to the lawsuit, Gymshark has denied ever signing a contract with Earle. The brand’s legal team asserts that no formal agreement was in place, and they are prepared to defend their position in court.

Interestingly, this legal battle is not Earle’s first public controversy. In the past, the influencer has faced criticism for older social media posts, including racist content from her teenage years, targeting Black and Asian communities. Earle did later publicly apologise for those past remarks (in a singular Instagram story)  promising to do better and acknowledging her mistakes.

But let’s not forget, that Earle also trademarked those old racist tweets. So, if anyone dares to resurface them, she can hit them with a lawsuit. Classic move, right?

wait… apparently Alix Earle trademarked her racist tweets from the past so if you post them she can sue you. this is the craziest thing I've ever heard. like oh ok girl that's some insane, fucked up loophole. Taking accountability wasn't even an option apparently 😭 pic.twitter.com/MptpT37AoM

— Judith (@cautionjudi) August 26, 2024

Alix Earle trademarking her racist tweets is so diabolical like my jaw dropped.

Her lawyers are soulless wth. Like that’s so smart

— D🧘🏾‍♀️ (@damollaaa) August 26, 2024

Alix Earle team must be working triple time bc i cant find any of her old racist tweets lmao.

— 𝓐ᥫ᭡. (@asia222earth) August 15, 2024

As of now, the way this case unfolds might force brands to reconsider who they partner with and what kind of values they’re willing to endorse. Gen Z consumers are loyal, but they’ll fold the second a company aligns itself with an influencer whose views may not always reflect inclusivity or respect for all communities.