Tyler Perry and Netflix are facing legal heat over Perry’s latest series, “She The People,” after political strategist Aimee Allison filed a lawsuit claiming the show violates the intellectual property of her nonprofit by the same name.
Allison, who founded the She the People organization in 2018 to amplify the political voices of Black and other women of color, is suing Perry, Netflix, Tyler Vision, LLC, and actress Terri Vaughn. The suit claims Vaughn, who once collaborated with Allison on a docuseries based on the nonprofit’s mission, later worked on Perry’s series, which allegedly borrows from that concept.
“The Series echoes many of the same themes regarding Black women’s experiences in politics that Ms. Allison addresses through her activism under the SHE THE PEOPLE mark, albeit in a slightly different format,” the complaint says. “With a lighthearted and comedic touch, the Series trailer… shows the newly-elected lieutenant governor confronting a number of issues likely to resonate with women of color.”
Though Perry did file for a trademark on the show’s name, the request was denied due to the likelihood of confusion with Allison’s brand. Allison hasn’t commented directly on the show but shared an Instagram Reel stating, “The world is full of people who wish they had good ideas… So, put your paperwork in place. And prepare to protect the soul of what you’ve built.”
Allison’s She the People has held major political forums and supported progressive women like Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams, shaping the narrative around who gets to lead in American politics.
