Aziz Ansari has responded to allegations of sexual assault made against him in a piece appearing on the website babe on Saturday.
In a statement emailed to HuffPost through his representative, the comedian confirmed several of the details mentioned in the babe piece, but said he believed a sexual encounter between the two was “completely consensual.”
“In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual.
“The next day, I got a text from her saying that although ‘it may have seemed okay,’ upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.
“I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue.”
In the story, a 23-year-old woman said she went on a date with Ansari last September in New York after they met at a party. The woman, who went by the name Grace in the article to protect her identity, said the pair eventually went back to Ansari’s apartment, where the comedian quickly initiated a sexual encounter.
Grace then alleged Ansari began performing oral sex on her and asked her to do the same to him. She said she felt pressured to continue the experience despite giving “verbal and non-verbal cues to indicate how uncomfortable and distressed she was.”
“Most of my discomfort was expressed in me pulling away and mumbling. I know that my hand stopped moving at some points,” Grace told babe. “I stopped moving my lips and turned cold.”
After she left his apartment, Grace said she began crying and sent Ansari a text message explaining her discomfort: “It may have seemed okay. But I didn’t feel good at all,” she wrote.
“I’m so sad to hear this,” Ansari replied at the time. “All I can say is, it would never be my intention to make you or anyone feel the way you described. Clearly I misread things in the moment and I’m truly sorry.”
Grace said she came forward with her account after she saw Ansari win the award for best actor in a television comedy at the Golden Globes for his Netflix series “Master of None” earlier this month. Ansari was photographed wearing a pin reading “Times Up” at the event, a message of solidarity with women in the entertainment industry.