Grad Student Sues U. Miami, Colin McGinn, and Edward Erwin


The University of Miami graduate student who previously complained of sexual harassment by Colin McGinn has now filed a federal lawsuit against the university, McGinn, and McGinn’s former colleague, Edward Erwin. The Huffington Post reports:

She’s claiming the school violated its Title IX responsibilities by failing to fully investigate her sexual harassment claims against McGinn in 2012 and failing to stop his retaliation against her. She is also accusing McGinn of sexual harassment and civil assault, and McGinn and Erwin, another UM philosophy professor, of defamation.

The Huffington Post reviewed “several hundred pages of emails and text messages” exchanged between McGinn and the student. It’s not pretty. Here’s just one exchange, which her attorneys say is “emblematic” of her responses to his comments:

McGinn: I love your essence
McGinn: Plus it gives me a slight erection
Student: Can I borrow your philosophy of physics book…the one by lange [sic].

McGinn texted her later that day to say he had an “erotic” and “religious” dream about her; she responded, “Strange.”

There’s more here. Click at your own risk.

Below is the lawsuit. (Normally, I would try to protect the identity of the student, however, at this point The Huffington PostScribd, and The Chronicle of Higher Education have all named her, making that futile. The latter reports that the student “identifies herself publicly for the first time” in the suit.)

Lawsuit

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Michael Rea
Michael Rea
8 years ago

What a terrible ordeal she is going through (and what courage to walk into more of it with this lawsuit). Is there anything people outside the situation can do to be helpful or supportive?

Clayton
8 years ago

Good for her! I hope she quickly wins these suits and finds a better community for philosophy than the one she was in.

Keisha
Keisha
8 years ago

She is very brave. It’s horrible that she is even in this situation but glad she is trying to make wrongdoers be held accountable for their actions. Good for her!

Matt Weiner
Matt Weiner
8 years ago

Good for her. Her bravery is admirable.

alex
alex
8 years ago

The fact that McGinn continues to defame her and defend himself only goes to show a lack of critical reasoning, zero understanding of ethics, and complete narcissism.

Dude is a sophist and a narcissist.

Eli Shupe
Eli Shupe
8 years ago

From another woman graduate student: Thank you, Monica. Had I been in your position, I doubt I would have been strong enough to do what you did, and I admire your courage. I also look forward to one day reading and engaging with your work in philosophy. The fact that you could endure such unthinkable treatment and simultaneously progress through your degree speaks very highly of your resilience and your philosophical abilities. I am signing this comment with my name and my e-mail. Consider this a standing offer to carefully read and give you feedback on anything you are working on, now or at any point in the future. I hope you take me up on this. Be well. [email protected]

Ben Bronner
Reply to  Eli Shupe
8 years ago

Following Eli Shupe’s lead, I’d also like to extend an offer to Monica. If she would like comments on any work she might have in philosophy of mind or ethics, she should send it my way: [email protected]

Lisa McKeown
Lisa McKeown
Reply to  Ben Bronner
8 years ago

Likewise, I will definitely offer my support and feedback on anything ethics-related: [email protected]

I also hope that, regardless of our value in terms of speciality, more of us will reach out and state publicly that we consider Morrison a valuable member of our community. In her position I might feel isolated. I hope these efforts help to combat that.

Kathryn Pogin
Kathryn Pogin
Reply to  Eli Shupe
8 years ago

Seconding what Eli says. I would also be happy to provide feedback on any of her work (or, indeed, work from any victim who feels as though their access to philosophical interaction has been hindered by dynamics like these). [email protected]

Mark Fortney
Mark Fortney
Reply to  Eli Shupe
8 years ago

I’d also like to offer my support to Monica in the form of comments or conversation or baked goods. (And, following Kathryn’s lead, this offer extends to every member of our community in a similar situation).

mark.fortney.utoronto.ca

Eddy Chen
Eddy Chen
Reply to  Eli Shupe
8 years ago

Likewise, I’d like to offer my support to Monica. This must be a difficult and stressful process. If she would ever like to have comments or discussions on issues in metaphysics, philosophy of science, or philosophy of physics, she can contact me: [email protected]

Claire Field
Reply to  Eli Shupe
8 years ago

Monica, thank you for standing up against injustice. What you have been through is awful beyond words, and I’m rooting for your success in the lawsuit. Whatever the outcome, remember that you are part of a global philosophical community that values you and wants you to stay with us. Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to talk philosophy, or anything else, any time. 🙂
[email protected]

Alicia Finch
Alicia Finch
8 years ago

I am extremely grateful to Monica Morrison for what she is doing. As Jenny Saul said on Feminist Philosophers, “Monica Morrison is doing an immense service to academia with her towering bravery in refusing to accept the way that Miami dealt with the case. We all owe her a tremendous debt.”

Jennifer Lackey
Jennifer Lackey
8 years ago

Having seen up close the unbearable harm that predatory behavior can have on women students in our profession, I cannot say more emphatically how much I commend Monica Morrison’s courage for standing up against the wrongs she has suffered. I hope she knows that she has a home in this profession, which will no doubt be a much safer place because of her, and that there are many of us who are here to support her as she moves forward.

Solidarity
Solidarity
8 years ago

I’m a graduate student in this profession who went through something similar, and similarly public, pretty recently. I’m sure that there are a lot of folks wondering what they can do to help. ​Of course I cannot presume that what made a difference for me will map directly onto Monica’s situation, but for what it’s worth:

1) I had a point person who was with me every step of the way. She was, and is, an actual hero to me.

2) I had a network of folks who came together to support me. They skyped with me, emailed with me, chatted on the phone with me, heard me out, gave me advice, offered their kindness. And when things were at their worst, they mobilized to support me.

One of the more impossibly awful aspects of being at the heart of a situation like this is how incredibly isolating it is. You don’t want to be alone, but you also don’t want to be you, with your face and your name, in any sort of public way. The attention is horrifying, the humiliation of having your worst indignity sprawled across what feels like the whole internet (or at least, your whole internet) is terrifying. So you’re kind of forced into this position of hiding, but wishing that someone you could trust would find you. So, nice people: find a way of finding her? Send her messages through her people, if you know her people. But if you don’t know her people, just raise a raucous: post messages of support here, at feminist philosophers, and on your facebook pages. Do what you can, when you can, to make it be known that you support Monica Morrison. In coming forward, she was doing her best to support all of us. That’s not for nothin’.

Solidarity
Solidarity
Reply to  Solidarity
8 years ago

For the record, I do not mean to suggest that folks hound her — please, do not go digging for her email address or, like, standing outside of her bedroom window with a boombox.

Annaleigh
Annaleigh
8 years ago

Thank you, Monica! Add me to the list of people happy to help victims any way I can (comments, commiseration, vegan baked goods). [email protected]

Baron Reed
Baron Reed
8 years ago

I would also like to commend Monica Morrison for having the courage to take such a difficult step and to add my voice to those who are offering support. If your situation has been isolating in the way Solidarity describes above, please do keep in mind that there many people in your corner, and we want you to stay in philosophy.

James Goetsch
James Goetsch
8 years ago

I applaud Ms.Morrison’s bravery in doing what is right in refusing to give in to injustice. She also did a very good thing in exposing this sophistic criminal and keeping him from preying on others. I would like to offer my public support for her, and state how glad I am she is in philosophy, making the field better by being in it.

Crimlaw
Crimlaw
Reply to  James Goetsch
8 years ago

@ Oct 17, 7:03pm — It looks like there is a promising civil case against McGinn. Is McGinn also facing a criminal charge or accusation?

Nick Byrd
8 years ago

Also interested in supporting however possible, academically or otherwise. Wishing you the absolute best!

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

As a survivor who went through a similar ordeal and left the profession for many years, I’m encouraged by the public displays of support for Monica. But I also want to admonish the (entire) discipline: how the hell can we say we’re in support of Monica while also failing to call for the resignation of other “known problems” in the discipline? If you really care, stop the bystander behavior. Oust the predators, and create fellowships and other safe havens to give those who are suffering time to heal.

AlsoAnon
AlsoAnon
Reply to  anonymous
8 years ago

In the spirit of not standing up when it matters, Miami Philosophy faculty could submit statements of support to Ms. Morrison’s attorneys. Word among legal circles is that previous faculty support has since been rescinded.

Amie Thomasson
Amie Thomasson
Reply to  AlsoAnon
8 years ago

Could we please not truck anonymously in spreading alleged rumors from legal circles in ways that could hurt some of the very faculty who have already been through a lot in supporting her? Monica knows who supports her, and who always has. (It would also be best not to gauge faculty support by blog posts–I’d guess only a very small percentage of senior faculty read blogs.)
Monica is a wonderful person and I am a huge admirer of the bravery she has shown in coming forward. I hope her coming forward will help correct a lot of past misapprehensions about the case, and contribute to a better environment for many people in the future.

Simon Evnine
Simon Evnine
8 years ago

I’d like to say, as a member of the UM department, that I’m so sorry for what Monica had to endure there; that her courage has helped us immeasurably; that I join the many people who hope she will continue in the discipline to which she has so much to offer; and that if there is anything I can do to help, I hope she feels free to reach out to me.

Roberta Millstein
8 years ago

I stand with Monica Morrison. I am sorry that this happened to you. Thank you for fighting against the culture of silence. Your actions will help future generations of women, but I know that is not without great cost to you. We are in your debt.

anon junior
anon junior
8 years ago

Has anyone suggested drafting an open letter in support of Monica, that lots of people can sign? I imagine it might be both helpful and meaningful to have what would doubtless be a long and inspiring list of names collected in one place, in a focused and quasi-official capacity.

(To be clear, I am posting anonymously out of general policy, and because I am afraid it might be presumptuous of me to spearhead the project myself. But I would enthusiastically sign the letter.)

Dale Miller
8 years ago

If someone in a position to do so were to set up a gofundme (or something comparable) for legal or other necessary expenses, I’m sure that a number of philosophers would contribute.

Wendy Donner
Wendy Donner
8 years ago

Monica, I stand with you. Although it may feel otherwise, you are surrounded by a community of supporters and admirers. Your courage is inspiring to me and to many others. You are a model for the practice of philosophy. You are a model for the philosophy profession.

Catherine Legg
Catherine Legg
8 years ago

Monica, you inspire me. Thank you for what you are doing. I know it takes courage to stand up to bullying and abuse.

Professor Plum
Professor Plum
8 years ago

While this case is certainly egregious, and I feel terrible for the student and am glad she is suing McGinn and Erwin (I’m less sure what I think about UM’s culpability), I hope philosophers will step back from the salacious details of this particular case and seriously consider whether there is something about the culture of this field that creates especially favorable conditions for sexual harassment and discrimination.

I think several features of the profession make this an especially fertile ground for this kind of behavior. First, and most obviously, philosophy is still male dominated. Yes, that is slowly changing, but much of what motivated the recent changes in hiring did not come from philosophers themselves, and I think many male philosophers experience these changes in hiring as being imposed on them from outside and are often vocally hostile to these changes.

Second, the increase in the hiring of women has come at a time when jobs are scarce. As a result, many male philosophers are perfectly happy to openly blame women (or “feminists” ) for their troubles in finding employment, and this blame is often framed in textbook objectifying ways, e.g., insinuations that a particular woman got her job because she is attractive or is sleeping with some member of the department. I think this widespread sexualizing of and hostility toward young women in philosophy makes sexual harassment more likely and more difficult to adequately address ; when you are a general target of sexualized attention and resentment it is hard to tell someone that you are also a particular target of unwanted sexual attention.

Third, for the most part, when women attempt to share their personal stories of harassment and discrimination they are dismissed as attention-seeking complainers. In the most recent version of this trope, one blogger had the audacity to chide women for our tendency to “blame and shame” on the very day news about this most recent case broke. Somehow, women’s anger about harassment and discrimination in philosophy is always wrong: either too soon (“you don’t have all the facts!”) or too late (“God, it happened a year ago!”) or too off putting (“Stop blaming and shaming!”).

Fourth, older women in philosophy actually had it far worse than women today, and I suspect this sometimes affects the kind and level of support they offer young women.

Finally, the obsession with rankings entrenches the power of some powerful men in the profession. In every case I know about directly, members of the department were hesitant to confront the harasser as forcefully as they could because there was concern about what this would do to the department’s ranking.

I don’t think there are any easy answers. But I hope as people’s attention is drawn, once again, to the troubling details of this case, they don’t lose sight of the fact that there are many more cases of harassment and discrimination, occurring right now in some of the “top departments”, that simply haven’t received the same level of media attention.

grad student
grad student
Reply to  Professor Plum
8 years ago

Thanks for this.

I would also add the enormous power disparities in a case like this, created by the essentially feudal structure of academia. Young graduate students are in very precarious situations, economically and academically, which makes them vulnerable not just to egregious sexual harassment but also to the possibly more widespread problems of general bullying and exploitation.

THAT guest blogger
THAT guest blogger
Reply to  Professor Plum
8 years ago

Professor Plum, I think I am the guest blogger to whom you are referring. I’d like to point out that there was nothing audacious about this sentence: “Part of such flourishing is increasing diversity in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and, of course, women are a big part of that. But, the current approach of blame and shame, though it certainly has its place in a broader dialogue, is absolutely tone deaf in trying to recruit young women to philosophy.”

As you’ve no doubt read, I said it has a place in a broader dialogue. But, as you’ve also read, but purposely mischaracterized to pander to your audience, the post was about how young girls cannot easily find resources on women who DO philosophy.

Professor Plum
Professor Plum
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

I don’t have an audience, and I have no one to pander to. No matter what your intention, the locution of “blaming and shaming” is dismissive.

I understand you want to change the topic away from the ills of the profession and toward ways of encouraging young women. You decided to make your post on the day the news about McGinn broke for reasons known only to you, but I suspect you did so in order to be provocative.

As far as encouraging young women goes, I’m sad to say that I now have a personal policy of *discouraging* both women and minorities from entering the profession. Hell, I discourage everyone given the horrible state of the job market. But while in the past I did do some outreach work focused on women and minorities, I no longer think this is appropriate given the state of academic phosophy (I do, of course, work to support the women and minorities I encounter who are already in the profession, and I think philosophy is a great undergraduate major).

I arrived at this point after much thought and reflection and with significant sadness and disappointment. From what I personally have seen, the situation is dire enough that I think encouraging young women and minorities to enter the profession is irresponsible.

Anon Graduate Student
Anon Graduate Student
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

Two issues are getting conflated here. Is the ABUSE a lot of women and POC get keeping women and POC away from the profession? More than likely. But, as a woman in the profession, I am only heartened by people standing up and calling out harassment. I find it *comforting* that people want to shame abusers. Why would that be a thing scaring women away? I would find it more discouraging if I only saw the fact of the harassment, and not the people galvanizing and supporting each other. As philosophy raises awareness about this, part of that awareness has to be that we show the world we have zero tolerance for those in positions of power abusing that power.

The abuse is the problem, not the shaming. That’s not the fault of women, that’s the fault of people like McGinn.

This isn’t an either/or situation. We can show women they will be supported and also provide resources for how to access more info on women philosophers.

anonymous17
anonymous17
8 years ago

I second Dale Miller’s suggestion to create a way for allies to contribute to Monica’s defense fund.

JD
JD
Reply to  anonymous17
8 years ago

Fwiw, I’m looking into the need for a fund.

Cheyney Ryan
Cheyney Ryan
8 years ago

Have other faculty from McGinn’s old department said anything about all this, for example, in support of Monica Morrison? As a law prof, I cannot see any legal issues in their saying what they think.

Jamie Dreier
Jamie Dreier
Reply to  Cheyney Ryan
8 years ago

Yes, two prominent ones have commented in her support in the comment thread at Feminist Philosophers.

Cheyney Ryan
Cheyney Ryan
Reply to  Jamie Dreier
8 years ago

Thanks Jamie.

THAT guest blogger
THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

My post went up that day because I am a guest blogger with a limited amount of time on the blog, and it was what I was writing at the time. It’s a simple matter of coincidence. And, I see nothing incompatible with talking about public recruitment efforts of young girls and women regardless of what else is going on in the profession. As I understand it, McGinn is no longer employed as a professional philosopher, and for that reason is completely irrelevant to my asking how philosophy is publicly reaching out to young girls who may have a general interest in the discipline. Even if you don’t want to recruit women any longer (which I think is an awful disservice to the profession and girls more specifically–as the mother of a daughter who is pursing a degree in philosophy), you certainly don’t mean that girls or women shouldn’t be able to easily locate information on smart and amazing women who have made significant contributions to the field. Or do you?

Professor Plum
Professor Plum
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

Greetings,
As I was careful to say, I have a “personal policy” of not encouraging young people to enter the field. You are, obviously, free to adopt whatever personal policy you see fit. I mentioned you, obliquely and in passing, as part of a larger point I was attempting to make about the profession; I have bigger fish to fry. You are the one who came over here to comment on my post, so it is a little hard to see how I could be construed as interfering with your project.

WP
WP
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

Since you’re not in the profession, I don’t think you should be so quick to dismiss women who are and who say they aren’t comfortable recruiting young women. They presumably know much more than you do about the climate in the discipline.

Professor Plum
Professor Plum
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

One last point and then I primise I’ll bow out of this thread before I’m accused of being a troll again.

Darlene (commentator 12:39) is, in my opinion, making precisely the error I was trying to warn about in my original comment: it is going to be very easy to interpret this as a story of “Crazy Colin” And since McGinn is no longer teaching, problem solved! But there are lots of reasons to think that the rot goes deeper than one or two people.

Of course I can’t *prove* that philosophy has special problems with these issues–how could I? But when I tell friends in other disciplines stories about how women and minorities are treated in philosophy (in public! With witnesses! By people other than McGinn!) they are *shocked*. And I hope, collectively, we can try and figure out what is going on.

THAT guest blogger
THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

WP: there was nothing dismissive in my response. I said it was a disservice to young girls and women who are interested in philosophy. I hate to think philosophers (male or female) tell young women they shouldn’t study philosophy or actively discourage them from doing so. And, Professor Plum, it’s not just that you mentioned me in passing, you called in to question my motives by assigning the term audacious, which also means impudent or impertinent. So, I guess I’ll confirm that by saying, yes, I’m one of those “uppity” women who boldly speaks her mind. And, as James Carville once said, “If I offended anyone I’m not sorry, and I don’t apologize.”

WP
WP
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

You’re still not seriously considering the concern. It’s only a disservice IF the climate isn’t actually that bad—dissuading someone from joining a field that they’re likely to have a bad experience in when there are good alternatives obviously does them no disservice.

THAT guest blogger
THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

WP: I’m thankful many people do not share your view and that of Professor Plum’s. With such a view we would not have female astronauts, physicists, politicians, athletes, and so on. Nor would we have an African-American president sitting in the White House today. So, I’ll stick with my original claim that it is indeed a disservice to dissuade any young person (or person for that matter) from pursuing something for which they have a genuine interest because they might have a bad experience. It’s also likely that no matter what profession you choose that at some point you will have a bad experience, especially if you happen to be a women. As someone who has worked outside the academy, I can tell you first hand that discrimination and harassment happen outside your walls–with FAR fewer protections.

Kathryn Pogin
Kathryn Pogin
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

Darlene, there is a very large difference between actively attempting to recruit women to the field, and discouraging the women who make an informed decision about what they want to pursue. I absolutely think that any attempt to make philosophy look better so as to attract women is not just irresponsible, but outright morally wrong. Attempts to make philosophy *be* better, on the other hand, are entirely welcome in my mind.

But, also, can we stop talking about this on this thread? Monica Morrison has done something incredibly brave, and I don’t want to insult her by letting this thread of the conversation go too much farther just here, when there are other places we can talk about it.

David Wallace
David Wallace
Reply to  THAT guest blogger
8 years ago

It’s quite widely (and I think, quite rightly) felt that it’s wrong to tell women “don’t drink; don’t go out clubbing; don’t have casual consensual sex”, even if the motivation is to reduce the chance that those women are exposed to sexual abuse as a consequence. (Indeed, even the more nuanced view that we should teach some risk-awareness and self-defence to women who want to do these things sometimes gets criticised for diverting attention from the abusers.)

By the same token, it doesn’t seem that we should be discouraging women from entering philosophy, even if there’s a risk of harassment in doing so. This leaves aside Darlene’s point that other sectors also have discrimination and harassment: even assuming this is unusually high in philosophy, isn’t discouraging women on that basis open to the same criticisms?

(That needn’t be read as a rhetorical question; after a bit of thought I can’t see a salient difference but there may be one nonetheless.)

Otavio Bueno
Otavio Bueno
8 years ago

I’d like to second Simon’s point. I do hope you will continue in the discipline. You have a lot to offer, Monica!

Enzo Rossi
8 years ago

Darlene’s post was badly timed. That in turn made it easier for wires to cross. Still, she raises an important question: given that we have limited “airtime” for initiatives aimed at widening participation from underrepresented groups, should we focus on providing encouraging role models or on publicising the punishment of perpetrators of harassment, discrimination, etc? I don’t think Darlene is saying that we should keep all of philosophy’s dirty laundry out of sight, and certainly she isn’t saying that we shouldn’t do our best to punish the perpetrators. I took her point to be that outreach material–material aimed at prospective women philosophers–is too heavily slanted towards the bad news. At root this is a question about the effectiveness of various outreach strategies. And her example of equivalent google searches (“women in physics/chemistry/…”) is interesting in that respect. It’s not obvious that our presentation of the discipline to prospective women philosophers should (morally or prudentially or whatever) be front-loaded with all the bad news.

Now, to be fair to her critics, Darlene’s post also contains a more controversial point, along the lines of “someone is benefitting from the negative campaign and from the tendency to encourage women to seek a safe space within feminist philosophy”. It seems to me that, if only for clarity’s sake, the merits of that more controversial point are best discussed in isolation from the point about outreach strategies.

Kathryn Pogin
Kathryn Pogin
Reply to  Enzo Rossi
8 years ago

I really do wish this conversation would stop on this thread, but I also think it’s important to note that to my knowledge no one has ever, anywhere, aired a philosophy scandal in the mode of advertising the field to prospective women members. And for what it’s worth (which I recognize may be nothing) when people suggest we should have less frank and open discussions about problems in the discipline because it might scare women away, it has the effect of temporarily encouraging me to quickly run through alternative career options for which continuing to pursue my PhD would be useful.

I love philosophy, and I am so grateful to all of my teachers who encouraged me along the way, but I am also really grateful that they did what they could to help me make informed decisions in the process.

Enzo Rossi
Reply to  Kathryn Pogin
8 years ago

I don’t think I or Darlene claimed that harassment scandals are used as advertising (!). The point was that the APA, BPA, and other prominent organisations have made it so that those scandals are the first thing that comes up when one googles ‘women in philosophy’.

Matt LaVine
8 years ago

I’d also like to add my name to the list of supporters of Monica. If you’d ever like feedback on any work relating to history of analytic philosophy, philosophy of language, or public philosophy, please don’t hesitate to contact me ([email protected]).

Philippe Lemoine
Philippe Lemoine
8 years ago

I absolutely think that any attempt to make philosophy look better so as to attract women is not just irresponsible, but outright morally wrong. Attempts to make philosophy *be* better, on the other hand, are entirely welcome in my mind.

I don’t think those 2 things are mutually exclusive. If sexual harassment directed at women really is endemic in philosophy, then presumably increasing the proportion of women in the profession is one of the most effective, if not the most effective, way of solving that problem. Thus, if making philosophy *look* better helps to increase the proportion of women in the profession, then it also helps making philosophy *be* better. So I agree with Enzo Rossi that it’s a legitimate question whether outreach material aimed at prospective women philosophers may not currently be too slanted toward the negative aspects.

babygirl
babygirl
8 years ago

Also, I think it’s worth saying that philosophy is *not as bad* for women as these google results make it out to be, and thus women are exposed first to a very *inaccurate* representation of what lies before them in philosophy. Most of us are happy, well-adjusted philosophers carrying on with doing philosophy. I love my life as a philosopher. Have I had to deal with bullshit that my male counterparts have not had to deal with? Sure, a little. How much does that affect my life right now, day to day? Not much at all.

Now, I am certainly *not* saying that everyone should/can do that. Some women have dealt with bullshit much worse than that I have had to deal with (the case at hand is one such clear example). But putting all of this stuff up front makes it seem like discrimination is a daily reality for most women in the discipline, and fact is, it’s not. And by focusing so much on it, we risk alienating people (women in particular) who would be very content to live their lives as brilliant philosophers.

It’s not at all clear to me that a relentless attention to the problems that exist is really the best way to go about improving things for women. I know it’s made things worse for me, reinforcing a gender divide, making my gender much more central to my philosophical identity (both in my eyes and the eyes of my peers) than it ever was before. Why think that attention will make things better? Have we perhaps gone overboard in “exposing” the problems women face? Do we perhaps overestimate their severity or at least their ubiquity?

anonymous17
anonymous17
8 years ago

Monica Morrison is in a very tough situation and needs all of our support. This is not the place to discuss Darlene’s post.

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

I hope she demolishes him in court.