Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson has recently been accused of sexual misconduct and rape. This was preceeded by the accusation on Dr. Lawrence Krauss for groping and non-consensual sexual advances. I wanted to write about the allegations of Dr. Karuss but never found time to do it. Now with Dr. Tyson I feel there is a need to discuss this matter.
Since I am going to address a rather sensitive topic here, I want to begin by acknowledging a few points.
- Women have been poorly treated by all communities in the past.
- Some communities still continue to discriminate women just for being women.
I have written plenty about the above topics. I don’t find the need to further clarify my stance.
I also want to give the women accusing any man the benefit of the doubt. Shaming victims is a trend which has got huge consequences and ignoring them is just as bad. So, I want to always listen to the victims but analyse the merit of the accusations before convicting anyone.
In this article, I want to discuss the accusation on Dr. Tyson and present my opinion on both this case and what I feel is a bigger social movement. I want to break this article into four sections.
- Analyse the accusations against Dr. Tyson
- Analyse of Dr. Tyson’s response
- Other articles on this subject
- Highlight the dangers of this trend
The accusations against Dr. Tyson
The accusations against Dr. Tyson first appeared in a blog in an online magazine called Patheos. They disclosed three incidents involving him as an evidence for his sexual misconduct. Let us go through each of those incidents in detail first.
Incident #1: Dr. Katelyn N. Allers
Dr Allers is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Bucknell University.
Event
The groping incident allegedly took place at an after-party following the AAS meeting in 2009, which took place in Long Beach. This was supposed to be a lighthearted social event to show that astronomers could have fun, according to Dr. Allers.
“Tyson was there, and he was dancing and drinking and all of that at the party, so a friend and I decided to get pictures with him,” she told me.
But after the first picture was taken (above, left), Tyson decided to explore Dr. Allers’ tattoo. It features a realistic solar system that stretches from her arm to her back and collar bone area.
“After we had taken the picture, he noticed my tattoo and kind of grabbed me to look at it, and was really obsessed about whether I had Pluto on this tattoo or not… and then he looked for Pluto, and followed the tattoo into my dress.”
Accusations
Dr. Allers said her experience was public and didn’t rise to the level of assault, but that it did show Tyson was capable of some “creepy behavior.”
“My experience with him is he’s not someone who has great respect for female bodily autonomy,” she told me in a phone interview.
Dr. Allers didn’t feel like she was in danger during her encounter with Tyson, but she did describe it as “uncomfortable and creepy.” That interaction also made her think twice about allegations brought by Tchiya Amet, a musician who says Tyson raped her in his apartment when they were grad students together.
“I think that he is someone that could use his position of fame and power in a way to try and take advantage,” Dr. Allers told me.
My Opinion
As already admitted by Dr. Allers herself, Dr. Tyson was searching for the existence of the planet Pluto in her tattoo. He did that in public. Further, we have to be clear on what “into my dress” means. He was checking her shoulder. I personally wouldn’t behave this way. I definitely realise it can creep a lot of women. I am with Dr Allers when she calls the behaviour “uncomfortable and creepy”.
However, the rest of the accusations are completely made up. She herself admits that she didn’t feel like she was in danger. This doesn’t translate into the rest of her accusations. I want to list the accusations one by one.
Accusation #1: “I think that he is someone that could use his position of fame and power in a way to try and take advantage.”
The choice of words here is very clever. One can say this about anyone. I can accuse Dr Allers as someone who sounds too creepy and could manipulate a situation to her advantage. Such a point cannot win the opponent a libel case even when the accusation has no basis. However, reading them in a sentence sends an extremely strong message. Going further, what does she mean by taking advantage? What evidence does she possess? It is an exaggeration of a creepy act beyond proportion.
Accusations #2: “My experience with him is he’s not someone who has great respect for female bodily autonomy”
I don’t see any other experience she has mentioned with Dr. Tyson other than the one at the party. She has then generalised it as someone who doesn’t respect female bodily autonomy. Is there evidence to believe that Dr. Tyson wouldn’t have done it if a guy wore a T-Shirt and showed off his solar system tattoo? What do she mean by respect for female bodily autonomy?
Irrespective of one’s gender every individual would have done something in life which could be perceived as creepy or sometimes is creepy. Doing something creepy doesn’t extend to other forms of guilt. In 60 years of his life which includes a lot public interaction and scrutiny, if people can only find a couple of creepy mistakes he made, then I consider that a very well lived life. It is also very important to note that one behavior is not a pattern. We can accuse him of that only one incident but not extend it to pronounce him guilty of mistakes we don’t have any evidence.
Incident #2: Ashley Watson
Ashley Watson was a former assistant to Tyson.
Event
Watson says she had been working directly under Tyson, who called out Trump in 2016 by saying he would grab him by the crotch when they met, and that they got along well. That all changed, however, when he invited his underling to his apartment at around 10:30 P.M. to “share a bottle of wine” and “unwind for a couple of hours.”
Watson, who said she felt pressured to impress her superstar boss, told me she agreed to come in for a glass of wine instead. Upon entering his apartment, Tyson allegedly took off his shoes and shirt, remaining in a tank top undershirt. Unfortunately, the night only got more awkward as Tyson, who is married, reportedly put on romantic music and replayed the most graphic parts.
She says Tyson soon brought out a cutting board and a knife to cut blocks of cheese that he decided they would share. But before slicing the snack, he allegedly gestured toward her with the knife and made a comment about stabbing.
Watson says Tyson started talking about how every human being needs certain “releases” in life, including physical releases. He reportedly mentioned how difficult it had been for him to be away from home for several months.
Watson says Tyson asked her if she needed any releases, and she responded with a story about sexual harassment she endured in the past. It was a smart way to diffuse a tense situation, but she says he was unfazed.
“It was like talking to a wall,” Watson said.
She was getting up to leave when Neil allegedly stopped her, saying he wanted to show her a “Native American handshake” he knew. That involved holding hands tightly, making eye contact, and feeling for each other’s pulse, Watson told me.
When she broke off the awkward and incredibly intimate handshake, which he allegedly said represented a “spirit connection,” she attempted to just get up and leave.
Tyson then allegedly put his hands on her shoulders, and said he wanted to hug her, but if he did, he’d “just want more.”
Watson says she left Tyson’s apartment quickly after the inappropriate sexual comments and that, the next day, she confronted him because she felt he had betrayed her as a mentor. He reportedly told her in that meeting that she’d never rise through the ranks in her career because she was too “distracting.”
Accusations
Watson said Tyson occasionally made “misogynistic comments,” and that he kept a list of overweight actresses on his phone to prove that women aren’t inhibited by portrayals in the media when it comes to health and fitness. He allegedly said it was untrue that women feel pressured to be skinny based on societal standards.
Watson says she took the comment as a bad joke, but it’s important to note that this type of “joke” is exactly what people in power need to keep in mind when dealing with subordinates. And it set the stage for a night filled with subtle intimidation and sexual advances.
“It was definitely a very weird power move,” she said.
My Opinion
There are two accusations here.
Accusation #1: Misogynistic comments
How did Dr. Tyson keeping a list of overweight actresses in his phone and stating that women aren’t inhibited by portrayals in the media become a misogynistic comment? If anything he is being critical of the media portrayal of women and suggesting women are not pressured to feel skinny. He is arguing for normal women here. Misogyny is defined as the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. On a different note, this accusation seems to be a case of misandry. It looks like a case of confirmation bias. If the starting position is ‘I believe men like Dr. Tyson are misogynists’, then it is not a big leap of faith to consider this comment he made about overweight women has to be misogynistic. Also, it is important to note that she has accused him in hindsight. This is not what she felt when she first made the comment.
In hindsight, there were red flags that she “chose to not pay attention to,” Watson told me in an interview.
Accusation #2: Sexual advance and predatory behaviour
I want to list all the ‘sexual advances’ that Dr. Tyson has been accused here.
- Inviting to share a “share a bottle of wine” and “unwind for a couple of hours.
- Took off his shoes and shirt, remaining in a tank top undershirt
- Put on romantic music and replayed the most graphic parts
- Tyson soon brought out a cutting board and a knife to cut blocks of cheese that he decided they would share
- Made a comment about stabbing
- Talking about human beings needing releases
- Native American handshake
- Saying he wanted to hug her, but if he did, he’d “just want more.”
- Saying she was too distracting
If I look at the evidences presented above from point number one to seven, the way I perceives the situation will depend on the below points.
- How well do the individuals know each other?
- Was there a demand for sex or at least physical contact?
- Was there a threat of repercussion if you don’t submit to his will?
- Was there contact in a way which indicated requesting for a physical relationship?
It is important to note that we are living in a free world where anyone can ask another person if they are interested in having a relationship. Anyone can reject the call for a relationship. There is an issue only if you are discriminated for not consenting to the wish or if you are forced without your consent. Even if I accept that this was a move made by Dr. Tyson to have a romantic relationship, it is still a call for consent and nothing more. I am beginning to wonder if people now are against checking for consent or romance.
Finally, coming to the last point where Ashley Watson was apparently told that she was too distracting by Dr. Tyson. What does that ‘too distracting’ mean? Does it mean he is distracted by her? Did he say she was too distracted? Either opinion is his view of the situation. It wasn’t a sexist remark. I have been told that in the early years of my career by both men and women when I went to them with complaints. It had nothing to do with wanting to have a relationship. I didn’t agree with their response but it definitely doesn’t make them sexist or misandrist.
Now, let’s look at the definition of a sexual predator. A sexual predator is a person who ruthlessly exploits others sexually. Where is the evidence of Dr Tyson ruthless exploiting even one person let alone many people? This careless use of accusatory words without presenting a shred of evidence has become a cornerstone to such cases.
Incident #3: Tchiya Amet
Tchiya Amet is musician, healer, and teacher, who claims have studied Galactic Astronomy in the graduate program at the University of Texas in Austin when Dr. Tyson also studied there.
Event
Amet said the alleged assault started when she went to his apartment to visit, like she did almost every day.
He offered me a glass of water. I accepted a liquid in a cup made out of a coconut shell. I recall coming back to consciousness briefly, then next thing I remember is seeing him in the hallway the next day. I have lived in this nightmare for 30 years, and it stops today.
I know this will be difficult for many of you to believe, understand or to know. However, know that this is the truth. Those who know me well can attest to the fact that I lived with undiagnosed PTSD of [at] least 25 years.
She also said Tyson was the reason she didn’t further pursue her dream of reaching the stars and becoming a full-fledged astrophysicist, and accused him of telling students they could pass Astronomy 101 if they gave him a blow job.
He talks about obstacles to reaching his goal of astrophysicist. Did anyone slip him a mickey? Perhaps this was his way of eliminating the competition….what a scam YOU are Mr. Tyson…
How does it feel to know that YOU are the reason there is one less [black] female galactic astronomer on this planet? Yes, YOU. How many freshman students did you give A’s to when they were failing? Were they really failing, or was that just an easy way to get free blow jobs?
Accusations
Dr Tyson has been accused of raping Tchiya Amet here. This is a serious accusation.
My Opinion
I want to start by saying of the three accusations, this one is extremely important and requires proper analysis. Rape cases are extremely serious and cannot be judged on individual biases.
Firstly, Tchiya Amet says she went to Dr. Tyson’s apartment every day. Is there a point here which hasn’t been covered. Were they in a romantic relationship or just friends? Did they have any physical relationship prior to the incident or after that? These points are important to understand the circumstance of the alleged incident.
Tchiya Amet says she doesn’t remember anything after that. Is there evidence that he actually raped her? What made her believe it happened? Let us say she became unconscious, how did she reach the hallway. When there is no evidence of the actual rape, it is important to understand the circumstances before and after. This is where the lack of coherence in this story feels like statements have been cherry-picked to suit a narrative.
Tchiya Amet claims to have undiagnosed PTSD for 25 years now. What is ‘undiagnosed’ PTSD? How does she know she has PTSD? On face value, I want to take the point as true. That still doesn’t prove he raped her. It requires a huge leap for faith. Now, what Amet’s motivation in doing this? I don’t know and I don’t want to speculate. If she can provide any evidence on this then we can definitely change our opinion.
Against without either direct or circumstantial evidence of rape, accusing a person is a case of vilification and slander. It is important to investigate this incident but the starting position shouldn’t be guilty until proven innocent.
Dr. Tyson’s response
Dr. Tyson gave a response to these accusations in his facebook page.
There are a few lines I want to highlight here.
For Dr. Katelyn N. Allers
I only just learned (nine years after) that she thought this behavior creepy. That was never my intent and I’m deeply sorry to have made her feel that way. Had I been told of her discomfort in the moment, I would have offered this same apology eagerly, and on the spot. In my mind’s eye, I’m a friendly and accessible guy, but going forward, I can surely be more sensitive to people’s personal space, even in the midst of my planetary enthusiasm.
It is important to note that he hasn’t denied doing it and is more than happy to learn from his mistakes. In this case, it was a creepy behaviour at best which had no sexual dimension to it.
For Ashley Watson
We became so friendly that we talked about all manner of subjects, even social-personal ones, like the care of aging parents, sibling relationships, life in high school and college, hometown hobbies, race, gender, and so forth.
Practically everyone she knows on set gets a daily welcome-hug from her. I expressly rejected each hug offered frequently during the Production. But in its place I offered a handshake, and on a few occasions, clumsily declared, “If I hug you I might just want more.” My intent was to express restrained but genuine affection.
Afterwards, she came into my office and told me she was creeped out by the wine & cheese evening. She viewed the invite as an attempt to seduce her, even though she sat across the wine & cheese table from me, and all conversation had been in the same vein as all other conversations we ever had.
Further, I never touched her until I shook her hand upon departure. On that occasion, I had offered a special handshake, one I learned from a Native elder on reservation land at the edge of the Grand Canyon.
At that last meeting in my office, I apologized profusely. She accepted the apology. And I assured her that had I known she was uncomfortable, I would have apologized on the spot, ended the evening, and possibly reminded her of the other social gathering that she could attend.
I note that her final gesture to me was the offer of a hug, which I accepted as a parting friend.
This is another case of just mistaken intent. To make this more out of this is purely conspiratory.
For Tchiya Amet
While in graduate school I had several girlfriends, one of whom would become my wife of thirty years, a mathematical physicist — we met in Relativity class. Over this time I had a brief relationship with a fellow astro-graduate student, from a more recent entering class. I remember being intimate only a few times, all at her apartment, but the chemistry wasn’t there. So the relationship faded quickly. There was nothing otherwise odd or unusual about this friendship.
This goes back to the same question I had. If she visited his apartment every day then does that mean they were going around. Did they have any physical relationship other than the ‘rape’ every day? Was the breakup mutual?
Other articles on this subject
It is important to look at the other articles written about this subject to uncover the broader conspiracy going on here.
In Scientific American
But all of the men who have harassed or assaulted me have said similarly encouraging things, so the fact that I have had multiple positive interactions with Tyson over the years doesn’t make it harder to believe that he is guilty of serious misconduct.
But my own experience—backed by data—teaches me that Black patriarchy is real and the harm specifically to Black women is significant. In this case, the harm is multidimensional: I believe Amet is the victim, and to a lesser extent, so are all of the Black people who found inspiration in Tyson’s visible presence as the world’s most well-known Black scientist.
But in my view, I believe the claims are credible, which means he directly harmed multiple women, most egregiously by allegedly raping a member of his own already marginalized community. Tchiya Amet is a Black woman who will never join me on the list of African-American Women with PhDs in Physics. She deserved better. Our whole community did.
This specific individual has made this entire thing into a Black Women identify fight. She wants to bask in the victimhood of other and hog sympathy from it. Such people who want to play politics and gain sympathy from other victims are the genuine predators. These people result in the victims not actually getting their due.
In Salon
Over the course of the MeToo era, the practice of hero worship feels increasingly absurd. I would like to celebrate the things that people do, when they are worthy of celebration, and not make it a blank check of approval for who they are. All people are flawed; some are evil. That little girl need not look up to Neil deGrasse Tyson the man; but I don’t believe that should negate the confidence in herself that he may have helped to build.
A block of encouragement from an imperfect person should not make for a less steady foundation. Science is built “on the shoulders of giants,” not saints. And when they topple, perhaps we can let them go and continue to climb.
Firstly what is a MeToo era? The author, Eve Andrews seems to drive us towards a post-truth era filled with people who are unable to look at the evidence before forming a conclusion. Eve Andrews has formed a conclusion based on accusations. It is also an ingratiating and incoherent article. For example her point on hero worship. I don’t believe in hero worship either and no one is asking anyone to workship Dr Tyson, least of all Dr Tyson himself.
The only point I can see about the author’s mention of #metoo movement is that she has used the MeToo standards to obliterate Dr Tyson. It is critical to note I don’t think we can’t climb the mountain of science on her shoulders as she doesn’t have much respect for evidence.
In Patheos
Another one bites the dust: Neil deGrasse Tyson is being investigated after allegations of rape, misogynistic comments, and inappropriate sexual advances.
This again is a clear slander against individuals to gain momentum for this MeToo movement. The author now has to define what is a sexual advance and what is the difference between appropriate and inappropriate sexual advance? I am more concerned about the smears than the tautology in the sentences.
Dangers of this trend
I am extremely sure based on the evidence presented Dr Tyson cannot be pronounced guilty. However, that is not the consent the media wants to drive. Therefore, this is a very dangerous trend. I want to assert why I consider it dangerous.
A post-truth movement
This movement is not worried about reality or at least truth based on reality. They want to act on what feels emotionally correct and not on facts. There is a difference between true predators like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes and someone like Al Franken. However, the movement doesn’t differentiate. This lack of differentiation between facts and emotions is at the root of this new climate.
A retributive movement with selfish allies
I am observing signs of war against different sections of the society. In the intersectional oppression chart a straight, white, conservative Christian male is most liable to make a grave mistake. A person who belongs to this category can be pronounced guilty even without an investigation. Then this trend continues to other groups. For example, a male is always guilty of sexual misconduct once accused. A white Christian is always guilty of white supremacy once accused. None of these accusations seems to need any evidence.
The people fighting this war do not want justice but they want retribution. They want to punish people for the generations of hostility and discrimination done by their predecessors. These retribution movements are also fed by selfish allies like Vox, Buzzfeed and Salon. The allies provide the much-needed oxygen and in turn, use the movement to propel them to the limelight.
The retributive nature of this movement is also the reason why one might see two patterns.
- The attack is always on high profile people irrespective of their race or political spectrum. It hasn’t resulted in the everyday predator being impacted.
- The movement is losing people who will otherwise declare themselves as feminists like Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris.
High profile targets are always the best to get attention. This is the same tactic used by extremists and terrorists. This #metoo movement is not alone. It has to be looked in conjunction with other such movements like ‘Women’s March’, ‘TimesUp’. ‘Black Lives Matter’ etc.
Finally, many scholars and scientists claim that earth’s climate change is the biggest risk to our human progress. I personally feel this social climate change of post-truth is an even bigger risk to our progress. Historically other social movements were intended to take us towards truth, eliminate barriers and emancipate individuals. This is the first time we are having a social movement which wants to take us away from science, progress and development. If we let this movement win, then truth based on reality will lose its complete relevance and with that will science. Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson is a victim of this new climate and if we don’t act it could be the future we never wanted.
Demystifying a skeptic's world 