It's extremely disappointing to see that Lucy Caldwell is contributing to Slate. It's especially ironic to see that she's contributing to the XX Factor, since her comments in the past have been so hurtful to women. At best, Lucy Caldwell has been insensitive regarding issues of gender and sexuality. At worst, she has been downright misogynistic.

Her flippant treatment of victims of sexual assault in the Harvard Crimson last year was especially disturbing. She wrote:

"This extremely high number [of rapes] seems questionable, highlighting a problem in how we talk about sexual violence. I am willing to believe that there are significantly negative circumstances surrounding all of these incidents, but I am dubious that all of these actually constituted rape. Morning-after guilt and regrets can give way to overblown cries of violation or abuse. " <link>

As much as I'd rather not give herl any more importance than she deserves and just ignore her self-serving rhetoric, her words have done real harm. Every woman I have spoken to at Harvard competley rejects her point of view, and many who have faced sexual assault in their own lives felt very hurt that the campus newspaper would allow a fellow student to publicy question the validity of their experiences. Who is Lucy Caldwell to question anyone who has faced sexual assault and been brave enough to report it? Also, how damaging is it to feminism to perpetuate the myth of "overblown cries of violation" when, in fact, sexual assault and rape are consistently undereported. crimes.

Basically, I don't see how the editors of the XX Factor can defend Ms. Caldwell's presence in the XX Factor with a straight face. Of course, a blog like the XX Factor should encourage a healthy debate a diversity of opinion, but the writers should be held to some minimal standard of ethics.