Biologist DNLee describes herself as “a hip hop maven [who] blogs on urban ecology, evolutionary biology and diversity in the sciences” at Scientific American. She recently learned something about the lack of diversity in the sciences, though, when she was called a “whore” for turning down a request to write for free for another site.
Physicist and blogger Sean Carroll explains:
…just recently an editor named “Ofek” at Biology-Online.org asked DNLee to provide some free content for him. She responded with:
Thank you very much for your reply.
But I will have to decline your offer.
Have a great day.Here’s what happens less often: the person asking for free content, rather than moving on, responds by saying:
Because we don’t pay for blog entries?
Are you an urban scientist or an urban whore?
No, really:
DNLee recounted the incident in a post at her Scientific American blog, “The Urban Scientist.” That post, though, has been taken down, allegedly for not being about “discovering science” and therefore being inappropriate for the site. That move has put Scientific American in the dog house with the science blogging community as well. Carroll has on his own blog preserved DNLee’s post, which reads in part:
It wasn’t just that he called me a whore – he juxtaposed it against my professional being: Are you urban scientist or an urban whore? Completely dismissing me as a scientist, a science communicator (whom he sought for my particular expertise), and someone who could offer something meaningful to his brand. What? Now, I’m so immoral and wrong to inquire about compensation? Plus, it was obvious me that I was supposed to be honored by the request..
Word has spread through the scientific community and inspired the #StandWithDNLee hashtag, as well as a related hashtag game: #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore.
@docfreeride "The Collapsed Whore" #replaceyourscienceblogtitlewithwhore #StandWithDNLee
— Chad Jones (@TheCollapsedPsi) October 12, 2013
Whore Based Medicine @DNLee5 #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore #standwithdnlee
— la bibliotequetress, the wearer of nitrile gloves (@biblioteq_tress) October 12, 2013
It's Not a Whore #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore #standwithdnlee
— David Wescott (@dwescott1) October 12, 2013
.@DNLee5 nerdwhoremathfun? nerdmommathwhore? OOOOH, I KNOW! nerdmomwhorefun! #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore #mathgotyourbacktoo
— megan (@nerdmommathfun) October 12, 2013
Rhoades to Whores #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore #StandWithDNLee
— Rai (@RaiElise) October 12, 2013
@DNLee5 In such company as today's it's an honor to pen The Whore Society Blog #replaceyouscienceblogtitlewithwhore #standwithdnlee
— Lady Lakdawalla of Baltis Vallis (@elakdawalla) October 12, 2013
And the score at my bedtime is @DNLee5: 1,000,000 Misogynist editor: 0. Yeah, I’m gonna call it. #standwithdnlee
— Dr. Karen James (@kejames) October 12, 2013
Being on #SciAmBlogs with scientist communicators of @DNLee5 's calibre is the proudest part of my career. #standwithdnlee #scicomm
— Glendon Mellow (@FlyingTrilobite) October 12, 2013
“This is work. I am a professional. Professionals get paid. End of story.” #standwithdnlee #whoyoucallingawhore http://t.co/csbGxusiZn
— Dr. Sarah Boon (@SnowHydro) October 12, 2013
I mean, it's not as if @sciamblogs depends on scientific bloggers for their scientific blogging business, right? #standwithDNLee
— Seth Zenz (@sethzenz) October 12, 2013
Was thinking of offering another guest post for @sciam – for free. But sorry @BoraZ, @mdichristina just convinced me not to. #standwithDNLee
— Madhusudan #StayHome Katti ☕️? #RedForKashmir (@leafwarbler) October 12, 2013
https://twitter.com/mclott/status/389079672132104193
As a biologist, I #standwithdnlee.
— Mⓐrsilea mutica (@Iteration23) October 12, 2013
Scientists around the word #standwithDNLee
— DrMegs (@DrMegsW) October 12, 2013
#Scio14 will be a gathering of urban gigolos and urban whores who believe that science writers deserve to be paid @DNLee5 #standwithdnlee
— jalees_rehman (@jalees_rehman) October 12, 2013
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