Why Neil deGrasse Tyson's response to sexual misconduct allegations is self-defeating

Slate

"One thing that struck me while reading his note is that he confirms doing many of the more minor things the women bring up, but he denies that any of them were harmful," says Shannon Palus. "He paints himself as a bumbly nerd who is just here to talk about planets and go on adventures, not one of the most powerful men in physics and a behemoth in entertainment alike. Ultimately, he sees his interactions with other women as a sort of word problem that can be cleared up via an investigation—if someone could just do the math, we’d certainly be able to figure out the rational, hard truth." Palus adds: "He doesn’t attempt to understand that existing in the world as a woman involves a lot of this kind of groping and touching, that in some cases a grab of the arm can be a signal of more danger to come, and that, despite his own point of view that it was fine, it is imperative—not a concession—to ask for permission before touching someone under their clothing."