It Stands to Reason, Skeptics Can Be Sexist Too [View all]
I spoke out about sexual harassment among atheists and scientists. Then came the rape threats.
Rebecca Watson. Photo by Larry Auerbach.
By Rebecca Watson|Posted Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, at 10:18 AM ET
Im a skeptic. Not the kind that believes the 9/11 attacks were the product of a grand Jewish conspiracywe hate those guys. Stop stealing the word skeptic, we tell them, but they dont listen to us because they assume were just part of the grand Jewish conspiracy too.
No, Im the kind of skeptic who enjoys exposés of psychics and homeopaths and other charlatans who fool the public either through self-delusion or for fun and profit. Its not just meIm part of a growing community (some would even call it a movement) consisting of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who value science and critical thinking. Were represented by organizations such as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, which was established in 1976 and has included fellows like Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, Stephen Jay Gould, and Bill Nye.
I learned about the skeptics back in college, when I worked in a magic store and performed gigs on the side. I was a huge fan of James The Amazing Randi, a magician who offers a million dollars to anyone who can prove they have paranormal abilities. (Theres a huge overlap between magicians and skeptics, both of whom are interested in the ways we fool ourselves.)
When I first started finding a large audience on my skepticism website, on my podcast, and on YouTube, I wasnt terribly bothered by the occasional rape threat, sexist slur, or insult about my looks. There was something downright amusing about a creationist calling me a cunt while praying that Id find the love of Jesus. The threats were coming from outside of my community. Outside of my safe space.
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/10/sexism_in_the_skeptic_community_i_spoke_out_then_came_the_rape_threats.html