Aziz Ansari Sexual Assault Defence New York Times

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.

A backlash is brewing against media organisations, including The New York Times and The Atlantic, after the publication of opinion articles defending Aziz Ansari. An allegation of sexual assault was made against the comedian and actor in a widely circulated article on the website Babe this past weekend.

The Times op-ed, "Aziz Ansari Is Guilty. Of Not Being a Mind Reader," by writer Bari Weiss, claims that Babe's exposé is "arguably the worst thing that has happened to the #MeToo movement" since it began, and implies that Ansari's accuser is to blame for finding herself in a situation in which she felt uncomfortable.

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Weiss says Babe's article "transforms what ought to be a movement for women’s empowerment into an emblem for female helplessness", but fails to acknowledge the involuntary paralysis that many women experience in such situations.

She acknowledges that "women are socialised to be docile and accommodating and to put men’s desires before their own," but seems to suggest that women's responsibility "to be more verbal" in sexual encounters is equal to men's responsibility not to pressure women into sex. Weiss writes: "If you are hanging out naked with a man, it’s safe to assume he is going to try to have sex with you."

She also says: "There is a useful term for what Grace experienced on her night with Mr. Ansari. It’s called 'bad sex.' It sucks." Weiss is known for her right-wing views and has previously written in defence of cultural appropriation, so many people weren't surprised by her stance on the allegations against Ansari.

While many people agreed with Weiss on social media, many others said they were offended by her views and criticised the Times for publishing them.

This article sucks, is condescending, promotes acceptance of male power in sexual situations, and I hope the fucking New York Times are shuttered as soon as possible. Fuck this paper and all they’ve done to ruin our culture in the last two years https://t.co/V8tWhjYfb1
— Scout Tafoya (@Honors_Zombie) January 16, 2018

Yet another reason to hate the New York Times. Calling what happened between Aziz and that woman 'bad sex' is absolutely disgusting. https://t.co/ZaPgO44BHw
— Dan (@TheDanPrice) January 16, 2018

Been away for work all day, what did I miss? Oh, an intellectually dishonest and completely disingenuous defence of Aziz Ansari in the New York Times? Good, good ?
— Harry Saddler (@MondayStory) January 16, 2018

The New York Times Is Bullshit.

You dont have to be a clairvoyant to know a woman doesnt want you shoving your dirty finger hooks in her mouth then trying to grope and prod her on the damn sofa

Aziz is a nasty bastard and he should be ashamed of himselfhttps://t.co/fpzhSDd6UB
— Sir James The Second @ Not On My Watch TV ?? (@NotOnMyWatchTV) January 16, 2018

Uh the recent Aziz Ansari takes on The Atlantic And New York Times are fucking terrible takes
— Khee Hoon (Chan) (@crapstacular) January 16, 2018

You know What?
Fuck Aziz Ansari
and FUCK The New York Times
And fuck The Atlantic.
That's where I stand on rape culture right this minute.
— Heather on the Hill (@jitterbug212) January 16, 2018

I see that the NYT is trying hard to beat the Atlantic for the apparently much-coveted Worst Take on the Aziz Ansari Story prize
— Chiara (@chiara84) January 16, 2018

To anyone reading the thread about the Aziz Ansari pieces from The Atlantic or New York Times at the top of /r/television right now and thinking "man this is some sexist stuff":

As a moderator of the subreddit... It's actually even worse. It's much much much worse.
— Justin ?? (@YourMindAches) January 16, 2018

The Atlantic published a similar defence of Ansari yesterday with its article "The Humiliation of Aziz Ansari," and triggered a stir on social media which continues to rumble on. The piece, by Caitlin Flanagan, claims the Babe article amounts to nothing more than "3,000 words of revenge porn" against Ansari.

Flanagan, who "was a teenager in the 1970s", says Ansari's behaviour was not only normal but expected when she was younger, in an attempt to invalidate the allegations, and makes a number of confusing claims about Ansari's accuser based on nothing but speculation.

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"Was Grace frozen, terrified, stuck? No," she writes, later adding: "Perhaps she hoped to maybe even become the famous man’s girlfriend. He wasn’t interested. What she felt afterward—rejected yet another time, by yet another man—was regret."

She continues: "The clinical detail in which the story is told is intended not to validate her account as much as it is to hurt and humiliate Ansari." Unsurprisingly, many people on Twitter were quick to describe The Atlantic as "out of touch".

This is so incredibly out of touch, full of victim-blaming, and completely ignorant of the concept of consent. It does nothing to further what should be a rich conversation. I wish I was surprised, but when it comes to gender politics, it's par for the course for the Atlantic.
— Emily Odgers (@TheOdgPodge) January 16, 2018

@CaitlinPacific
Not defending anyone's position here, but I am curious - is Flanagan privy to information we are not? She writes w the voice of a person in the room that night.

Was she?

The Humiliation of Aziz Ansari - The Atlantic https://t.co/NPFz4DdydE
— Red (@mllemystique) January 16, 2018

TLDR: Fuck Aziz Ansari’s shitty faux apology, fuck that victim blaming Atlantic article, and fuck anyone who thinks that a woman’s REPEATED avoidance of sexual attempts somehow constitutes consent. I am so angry and my heart goes out to the “Grace” behind that story.
— Bridget Sweet (@bridget_sweet) January 16, 2018

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