Following the initial Rebecca Watson video regarding Elevator Guy, and presumably the comments that ensued, Stef McGraw, an enthusiastic young atheist and skeptic blogger, showed some dissent on her blog regarding Watson's view on male-female relationships in the atheist movement. McGraw questioned Watson's characterization of the elevator event as "sexualization".
Ms. McGraw attended the keynote lecture by Rebecca Watson entitled "The Religious Right Vs Women" at the CFI Student Leadership Conference. During her introduction, Watson spent some time reading her hate mail and subsequently included an excerpt from McGraw's blogpost, asserting that it was a standard "parroting of misogynist thought". She also stated that McGraw was ignorant of Feminism 101 and that it was people like McGraw that were preventing women from coming to events. (Specifics around the insulting remarks are documented here.)
After a brief Twitter exchange between Watson and three attendees who were unhappy because of Watson's treatment of McGraw, Watson wrote a blogpost about this occurrence in which she mentioned Trevor Boeckmann and Rose St. Clair, as well as McGraw. McGraw wrote a blogpost stating her position on what had transpired during Watson's lecture. Trevor Boeckmann also wrote a post expressing his anger at Watson's lack of professionalism. Other bloggers criticized Watson for her handling of the incident, which in turn prompted reactions from even more bloggers justifying Watson's "calling out" of McGraw.
History[]
- About Mythbusters, Robot Eyes, Feminism, and Jokes, Rebecca Watson, Skepchick
- Fursdays wif Stef #32, Stef McGraw, UNI Freethought Blog
- My response and take on sexism in the atheist community, stclairose, YouTube
- Civility is in the eye of the beholder, The Armchair Skeptic
- Extra, Extra, Read All About It: Rebeccawatsongate Shakes Atheism To Its Core!, malimar, LiveJournal
- On Naming Names at the CFI Student Leadership Conference, Rebecca Watson, Skepchick
- Fursdays wif Stef #33, Stef McGraw, UNI Freethought Blog
- Dear Rebecca Watson, Trevor Boeckmann, UNI Freethought Blog
Responses[]
The following are responses that either praised Watson's actions or were critical of McGraw.
- On Sexism, Objectification, and Power, Barbara Drescher, ICBS Everywhere
- Always name names!, PZ Myers, Pharyngula
- Rebecca Watson vs Stef McGraw, Dale Husband, Circle H
- Comment on "Did a wolf howl", Ophelia Benson, Butterflies and Wheels
Ophelia Benson implying that Stef was acting like a martyr.
