Neil deGrasse Tyson now has another accusation to respond to.
In his statement over the weekend, the celebrity astrophysicist gave a detailed accounting of his side of the three allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
In the case of the two women accusing Dr. Tyson of making unwanted advances, his story implied an unfortunate misunderstanding — and probably a willfully obtuse sense of propriety when it comes to personal space. He even apologized for making anyone feel uncomfortable.
The rape accusation is far more complicated and troubling…
Related: Lena Dunham Admits She Lied While Defending Accused Rapist
Now Buzzfeed News has added a fourth woman’s claim to the list against the Cosmos host.
This woman says she attended the 2010 American Museum of Natural History employee holiday party with her boyfriend at the time.
There she says Dr. Tyson approached her and made jokes of a sexual nature, including — per the outlet — “propositioning her to join him alone in his office.” She also says he was drunk at the time.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, even supplied an email she had sent to her own employer way back in 2014, pointing to the interaction as a reason not to collaborate with the Star Talk star.
Telling risque jokes in mixed company can be very rude, and a married man drunkenly hitting on a woman at a party is certainly gross. This behavior is definitely enough to damage the high esteem in which a scientist like Tyson is held.
But some still wonder, since she hasn’t said he persisted after she rejected the advance (and she wasn’t an employee, just a stranger at a party), is this incident sexual misconduct?
What do YOU make of all this, Perezcious readers??
[Image via ABC/WENN.]