Former colleagues accuse Neil deGrasse Tyson of sexual misconduct
Fox, National Geographic, and Cosmos are investigating Neil deGrasse Tyson for allegedly engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior, Variety reports. This comes on the heels of a Nov. 29 story in which two women leveled accusations at the astrophysicist.
On Thursday, Patheos published interviews with Tyson's fellow astronomer Dr. Katelyn N. Allers and his former assistant Ashley Watson. Tyson has also been accused of sexual assault in the past.
“My experience with him is he’s not someone who has great respect for female bodily autonomy,” Allers said.
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Tyson addressed the reports himself in a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday in which he laid out the particulars of each accusation from his own perspective. "I’m the accused, so why believe anything I say? Why believe me at all? That brings us back to the value of an independent investigation, which FOX/NatGeo (the networks on which Cosmos and StarTalk air) announced that they will conduct. I welcome this," he wrote.
“We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson," Fox said in a statement. "We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.”
Cosmos responded similarly, citing the show's commitment to evidence and hard facts.
Allers described a 2009 party during which Tyson touched her body without express permission. She avoided him in 2014 when he came to Bucknell University, where she works. Allers did not wish to pursue any formal investigation, saying that she felt more uncomfortable than in danger.
Watson claims she left Tyson's employ because of inappropriate behavior, including "misogynistic comments" and remarks about women's weight. One night he invited her over to his apartment, where she said he made repeated sexual advances and potentially intimated a threat of violence.
Tyson was accused of sexual assault in 2017, just days after news broke about Harvey Weinstein in Hollywood. Tchiya Amet was a graduate student in 1984 when she says Tyson drugged and raped her. Amet chose not to report it at the time because of a previous experience with sexual assault that was not handled appropriately by authorities.
When Amet's allegations surfaced, Watson reached out to her, saying Tyson was "a predator because of his status" and "I'm sure he'll keep doing it."
UPDATED Dec. 2, 2018, 8:29 a.m. ET with Tyson's statement.
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