SciAm Apologizes for Deleting Blogger's Post on Being Called a 'Whore'
Latest
Danielle N. Lee, Ph.D., has blogged for Scientific American for over two years. Her blog, called “The Urban Scientist,” focuses on “sharing science to general audiences, particularly under-served groups, via outdoor programming and social media.” When she took to her blog to write about a sexist email she’d received, it was quietly deleted. Following an uproar on Twitter and the blogosphere, SciAm has offered an apology and an explanation — but is it enough?
Some background: on Thursday, Dr. Lee received an email from a blog editor at Biology-Online.org inquiring as to whether she’d be interested in guest blogging for their site. She asked about compensation, and the editor told her that there wouldn’t be any (you can screengrabs of the email exchange here, if you’re interested). Reasonably, upon hearing that she wouldn’t be compensated for her work, Dr. Lee politely declined:
Thank you very much for your reply.
But I will have to decline your offer.
Have a great day.
This was the editor’s response:
Because we don’t pay for blog entries?
Are you an urban scientist or an urban whore?
This response, obviously, is a hideous steaming pile of sexism, racism, unprofessionalism, and all-around general shittiness. Dr. Lee took to her Scientfic American blog to reflect on the exchange: