Hubbry Logo
search
logo
Quillette avatar
Quillette
Quillette
current hub
Q

Quillette

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Read side by side
Quillette
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Quillette
Editor-in-chiefClaire Lehmann
Senior editor, LondonJamie Palmer
Canadian editor, TorontoJonathan Kay
Categories
FounderClaire Lehmann
Founded2015; 11 years ago (2015)
CountryAustralia
Based inSydney
LanguageEnglish
Websitequillette.com Edit this at Wikidata

Quillette (/kwɪˈlɛt/) is an online magazine founded by Australian journalist Claire Lehmann. The magazine primarily focuses on science, technology, news, culture, and politics.

Quillette was created in 2015 to focus on scientific topics, but has come to focus on coverage of political and cultural issues concerning freedom of speech and identity politics. It has been described as libertarian-leaning.[2][3][4] The Columbia Journalism Review has called Quillette "the right wing's highly influential answer to Slate",[5] Holly High and Joshua Reno have criticised it as an "anti-PC soapbox",[6] and Sarah Jones of New York's Intelligencer has described it as "reflexively contrarian".[7]

History

[edit]

Quillette was founded in October 2015 in Sydney, Australia, by Claire Lehmann.[8] It is named after the French word "quillette", a withy cutting planted so that it takes root—used here as a metaphor for an essay.[9] Lehmann stated that Quillette was created with the aim of "setting up a space where we could critique the blank slate orthodoxy"—a theory of human development which assumes individuals are largely products of nurture, not nature—but that it "naturally evolved into a place where people critique other aspects of what they see as left-wing orthodoxy".[2][10]

In August 2017, Quillette published an article in which five academics expressed support for James Damore, author of the memo "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber". According to Politico, Quillette's website crashed because of the popularity of the article. Lehmann was told by her tech staff that the cause may have been a DDoS attack.[1][11] In its profile of Quillette, Politico reported that Lehmann knew about the grievance studies affair before it was first reported in October 2018. In response, Quillette again published comments from five like-minded academics.[1][12]

In May 2019, Quillette published an article alleging connections between antifa activists and national-level reporters who cover the far-right, based on the accounts these reporters followed on Twitter.[13][14] Alexander Reid Ross and another journalist who were mentioned in the article said that they and other journalists received death threats after the claims were published.[14]

In August 2019, Quillette published a hoax article titled "DSA Is Doomed" submitted by an anonymous writer claiming to be a construction worker named Archie Carter who was critical of the organisation Democratic Socialists of America.[15] The magazine retracted the article after the hoax was brought to its attention. According to the socialist magazine Jacobin, the hoax brought Quillette's fact-checking and editorial standards into question.[16]

Quillette has published articles supporting the pseudoscientific human biodiversity movement (HBD), by writers such as Brian Boutwell and John Paul Wright, HBD being a euphemism for eugenics and scientific racism.[17] Quillette published articles supporting Noah Carl who "was excluded from a Cambridge University fellowship over his alleged links to far-right organisations, including collaborating in writing projects with far-right activist Emil Kirkegaard, and for engaging in unethical and dishonest research supporting eugenicist views".[18][19][20]

Reception

[edit]

In an article for The Outline, writer Gaby Del Valle classifies Quillette as "libertarian-leaning", "academia-focused" and "a hub for reactionary thought."[2] In the Seattle newspaper The Stranger, Katie Herzog writes that it has won praise "from both Steven Pinker and Richard Dawkins", adding that "most of the contributors are academics but the site reads more like a well researched opinion section than an academic journal".[21] In an opinion piece for USA Today, columnist Cathy Young describes Quillette as "libertarian-leaning".[3] An article in Vice described Quillette as a "libertarian magazine".[4]

Politico and Vox reported that Quillette has been associated with the "intellectual dark web", a term used, according to Politico, to describe "a loose cadre of academics, journalists and tech entrepreneurs who view themselves as standing up to the knee-jerk left-leaning politics of academia and the media."[1][22] Writing for The New York Times, Bari Weiss referred to Claire Lehmann as a figure in the "intellectual dark web".[1][23]

Writing for The Guardian, Jason Wilson describes Quillette as "a website obsessed with the alleged war on free speech on campus".[24] Writing for The Washington Post, Aaron Hanlon describes Quillette as a "magazine obsessed with the evils of 'critical theory' and postmodernism".[25]

Writing for New York magazine's column The Daily Intelligencer Andrew Sullivan described Quillette as "refreshingly heterodox" in 2018.[26]

In a piece for Slate, Daniel Engber suggested that while some of its output was "excellent and interesting", the average Quillette story "is dogmatic, repetitious, and a bore".[27] He wrote that it describes "even modest harms inflicted via groupthink—e.g., dropped theater projects, flagging book sales, condemnatory tweets—as 'serious adversity'", arguing that various authors in Quillette engage in the same victim mentality that they attempt to criticise.[27] In an article for The Daily Beast, writer Alex Leo described Quillette as "a site that fancies itself intellectually contrarian but mostly publishes right-wing talking points couched in grievance politics".[28]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Quillette

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine founded in 2015 by Claire Lehmann, a journalist and former psychologist, that publishes long-form articles on science, technology, politics, and culture.[1] The publication emphasizes evidence-based analysis guided by reason, science, and humanism, positioning itself as politically non-partisan while providing a platform for heterodox viewpoints often sidelined in mainstream discourse.[1] Quillette gained prominence as a key outlet for the "intellectual dark web," a loose network of thinkers advocating for open inquiry into taboo subjects such as biological sex differences, intelligence research, and the excesses of identity politics.[2] Its articles frequently challenge prevailing orthodoxies in academia and media, drawing on empirical data to critique phenomena like cancel culture and institutional biases favoring progressive ideologies.[3] Notable contributions include coverage of controversies surrounding gender ideology, free speech restrictions on campuses, and the replication crisis in social sciences, which have resonated with audiences seeking alternatives to consensus-driven narratives.[4] While praised for fostering intellectual diversity and defending empirical rigor against ideological conformity, Quillette has faced accusations from progressive critics of amplifying right-wing or pseudoscientific ideas, claims the magazine rebuts by highlighting its commitment to factual substantiation over partisan alignment.[5] Funded primarily through reader subscriptions and memberships, it maintains editorial independence, with Lehmann serving as editor-in-chief and sole director of its incorporating company.[1] Over its decade of operation, Quillette has expanded to include podcasts and events, solidifying its role as a counterweight to systemic left-leaning biases in intellectual institutions.[3]

Founding and Early History

Inception and Initial Focus (2015)

Quillette was founded in October 2015 by Claire Lehmann, an Australian writer with a background in psychology, as an online platform based in Sydney. The inaugural article, "A Platform for Free Thought," published on October 16, 2015, articulated its purpose as a venue for open inquiry into science, technology, psychology, and culture, emphasizing reason, humanism, and skepticism toward ideological dogmas that suppress empirical evidence.[6] Lehmann established it amid growing concerns over censorship and conformity in academic and media institutions, particularly regarding topics like evolutionary psychology and social stereotypes, which she argued were marginalized by prevailing orthodoxies.[1][7] Initially operating as a personal blog before evolving into a magazine format, Quillette's early content focused on long-form essays challenging assumptions in social sciences and critiquing anti-enlightenment trends. For instance, articles in late 2015 explored themes such as the resilience of traumatized individuals in historical contexts and self-identification as a "Eustonite"—adhering to pro-democracy, anti-totalitarian principles inspired by the 2006 Euston Manifesto.[8][9] This initial emphasis prioritized heterodox perspectives grounded in data and first-hand reasoning over narrative-driven interpretations, positioning Quillette as a counter to what Lehmann perceived as stifled discourse in mainstream outlets.[1] The platform's non-partisan stance aimed to prioritize truth-seeking, drawing on Lehmann's experiences with institutional biases in psychology and journalism.[10]

Transition to Broader Platform

Quillette, launched by Claire Lehmann in November 2015 as a WordPress blog, initially featured primarily her own essays critiquing what she perceived as excesses of political correctness in academia and media, with a focus on scientific topics such as psychology and evolutionary biology.[11][12] This early content emphasized empirical challenges to prevailing ideological orthodoxies in social sciences, drawing from Lehmann's background in forensic psychology.[2] The platform began transitioning to a broader magazine format by opening submissions to external contributors, enabling publication of diverse heterodox perspectives beyond Lehmann's personal output.[13] This expansion, evident by 2017–2018, shifted coverage toward political and cultural issues, including freedom of speech debates and critiques of identity politics, topics often sidelined by mainstream outlets.[2] Articles from academics, journalists, and public intellectuals addressed "dangerous" ideas, such as biological sex differences and institutional biases, fostering a reputation as a hub for open inquiry.[11] By incorporating guest essays and themed series, Quillette grew from a niche blog to a subscriber-supported publication with over 100 articles annually by the late 2010s, attracting millions of readers and endorsements from figures like Jordan Peterson.[2] This evolution reflected a deliberate pivot to counter perceived suppression of dissenting views in elite institutions, prioritizing evidence-based arguments over consensus narratives.[11]

Development and Operations

Incorporation and Organizational Structure

Quillette Pty Ltd was incorporated as an Australian private company on February 28, 2018, with Australian Business Number (ABN) 82 623 668 619.[14] The entity operates as a for-profit limited liability company under Australian law, distinct from nonprofit or public structures.[14] [1] Claire Lehmann, Quillette's founder, serves as the sole director and editor-in-chief, maintaining full ownership and control of the company.[1] This centralized leadership structure reflects the publication's origins as an independent venture launched by Lehmann in 2015 prior to formal incorporation.[1] The organizational framework is compact and distributed internationally, with senior editors based in Sydney, Australia; London, United Kingdom; and Toronto, Canada, to facilitate global content production and oversight.[1] This setup supports operational efficiency without a large hierarchical bureaucracy, aligning with Quillette's emphasis on freelance contributions and editorial independence.[1]

Business Model and Sustainability

Quillette operates as a for-profit online magazine, with revenue derived primarily from voluntary reader subscriptions and community memberships that provide access to exclusive content such as articles, podcasts, and events.[1] Tiered subscription options include a podcast-only plan at $50 per year, a standard membership at $100 per year granting unlimited article access, podcast feeds, comments, and early event previews, and a VIP tier at $250 per year adding benefits like free event tickets and branded merchandise.[15] Additional support comes from one-time donations accepted via PayPal, which contribute fully to operations without platform commissions.[15] Historically, in late 2019, the publication's funding relied mainly on reader donations, supplemented by advertising revenue accounting for approximately one-quarter of total income, while avoiding government grants or external sponsorships to preserve independence.[16][17] This reader-centric approach has evolved to emphasize subscriptions, mirroring models like Substack to foster direct engagement and reduce reliance on volatile ad markets.[18] The model supports sustainability through consistent profitability; founder Claire Lehmann reported in June 2025 that Quillette remains founder-owned, cash flow positive, and generates over $1 million in annual revenue, enabling expansions into podcasts, video series, and in-person events without compromising editorial autonomy.[19] This grassroots structure, prioritizing subscriber-funded content over institutional backing, has allowed Quillette to navigate deplatforming risks and algorithmic challenges faced by heterodox outlets, maintaining operations since its 2015 inception.[20]

Editorial Stance and Content

Core Principles and Themes

Quillette espouses a commitment to reason, science, and humanism as its foundational guiding values, explicitly positioning itself as politically non-partisan while emphasizing empirical rigor over ideological conformity.[1] This stance manifests in a dedication to long-form analysis that interrogates cultural, political, and scientific orthodoxies, often highlighting discrepancies between prevailing narratives and verifiable data. The publication's editorial framework rejects dogmatic assertions, favoring instead evidence-based arguments that prioritize causal mechanisms and observable outcomes in domains such as psychology, biology, and social policy.[1] Central to Quillette's mission is the promotion of free inquiry and open discourse, encapsulated in its role as a venue for heterodox perspectives that mainstream institutions may sideline. Founder Claire Lehmann launched the platform in 2015 to counteract what she perceived as stifled debate in elite circles, drawing on principles of rationality and non-dogmatic liberalism to host rigorous, academic-style discussions.[1] [21] This includes respect for ideas deemed "dangerous" by consensus-driven gatekeepers, provided they withstand scrutiny, as evidenced by coverage of topics like evolutionary psychology and institutional capture by ideological priors.[22] Recurring themes underscore a skepticism toward unsubstantiated claims of systemic oppression and an advocacy for individual agency rooted in humanistic values. Quillette frequently examines how victimhood ideologies undermine personal responsibility and empirical truth-seeking, as seen in critiques of grievance-based frameworks in feminism and racial discourse.[23] It also defends classical liberal tenets like free speech against encroachments from cancel culture and institutional censorship, attributing such trends to biases prevalent in academia and media that favor narrative over evidence.[2] These themes reflect a broader causal realism, wherein social phenomena are analyzed through first-principles lenses—such as biological sex differences or meritocratic incentives—rather than post-hoc rationalizations aligned with political expediency.[24]

Notable Contributors and Articles

Quillette has published contributions from a range of intellectuals challenging prevailing orthodoxies in academia and culture, including psychologist Jordan Peterson, who has authored essays critiquing ideological conformity in higher education and compelled speech policies.[25] Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker has contributed pieces on rationality, language evolution, and the misuse of data in social debates.[25] Neuroscientist Sam Harris has written on free speech, moral foundations, and the risks of identity politics.[25] Evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein and biologist Heather Heying have detailed campus activism's disruptions, drawing from their experiences at Evergreen State College.[26] Former Google software engineer James Damore published "The Case for Diversity" on February 12, 2018, arguing that biological sex differences influence career interests and that diversity initiatives should account for variance rather than impose quotas, a view he substantiated with references to psychological studies on personality traits.[27] Earlier, on August 7, 2017, Quillette featured "The Google Memo: Four Scientists Respond," where experts including evolutionary psychologists defended Damore's internal critique of Google's diversity training by citing empirical evidence on sex differences in interests and abilities, asserting that equal outcomes require unequal inputs.[28] These pieces amplified debates on corporate censorship and biological realism, garnering widespread attention after Damore's August 2017 firing.[2] On campus dynamics, Quillette's December 18, 2017, article "How Activists Took Control of a University: The Case Study of Evergreen State" chronicled the 2017 protests that led to Weinstein's resignation, documenting demands for racial segregation events and administrative capitulation, supported by timelines of events and leaked communications.[26] This coverage highlighted causal links between ideological echo chambers and institutional breakdown, influencing discussions on free inquiry. Other notable essays include critiques of grievance studies and pseudoscience in social justice movements, often by contributors like Peter Boghossian affiliates, though Quillette emphasized primary evidence over secondary hoaxes.[3] Contributions from Richard Dawkins and Camille Paglia have addressed atheism's tensions with progressivism and cultural decay in arts, respectively, privileging empirical critique over normative appeals.[25]

Evolution of Coverage

Quillette's coverage began in late 2015 with an emphasis on scientific inquiry, particularly in psychology and evolutionary biology, reflecting founder Claire Lehmann's background in forensic psychology and her intent to provide a platform for research challenging ideological constraints in academia.[29] Early articles prioritized long-form analysis of human behavior, cultural criticism grounded in empirical data, and contributions from academics and scientists outside mainstream journalistic outlets.[6] This initial focus aimed to foster original thought free from partisan dogma, drawing on principles of reason and humanism.[1] By 2017, as cultural and political controversies intensified—such as campus speech restrictions and corporate ideological enforcement—Quillette expanded to address freedom of speech issues, publishing essays that critiqued orthodoxies in higher education and media.[29] This shift aligned with the rise of the "intellectual dark web," positioning Quillette as a key outlet for heterodox perspectives on topics like gender differences, race debates, and the suppression of dissenting views in scientific fields.[29] Coverage broadened without abandoning science; evolutionary psychology remained prominent, but articles increasingly intersected with policy implications, such as critiques of affirmative action and identity-based policies, supported by data on behavioral genetics and group differences.[30] In the 2020s, Quillette's scope further diversified to encompass real-time responses to events like pandemic policies, electoral shifts, and institutional biases, while maintaining a commitment to evidence-based humanism over ideological conformity.[1] Podcasts and multimedia formats supplemented print-style essays, enabling deeper explorations of themes like secularism and classical liberalism amid rising populism.[1] This evolution reflects adaptation to a polarized discourse, prioritizing causal analysis of social phenomena—such as fertility declines and ideological radicalization—over narrative-driven reporting prevalent in legacy media.[31] Despite criticisms from progressive outlets alleging a rightward tilt, Quillette's editorial choices consistently favored verifiable data and first-hand accounts, as seen in sustained coverage of underreported scientific controversies.[29]

Reception and Influence

Positive Assessments and Achievements

Quillette has been commended for amplifying heterodox perspectives and fostering evidence-driven discourse on contentious issues, particularly in academia and culture. Its publication of the "Grievance Studies" project in October 2018, detailing the submission of fabricated papers to peer-reviewed journals in fields like gender studies, exposed vulnerabilities in scholarly rigor and ideological capture, prompting retractions, institutional reviews, and widespread debate on academic standards.[32] The hoax, executed by James Lindsay, Helen Pluckrose, and Peter Boghossian, resulted in seven papers gaining acceptance or strong consideration, influencing critiques of postmodern influences in social sciences and earning acclaim from skeptics of prevailing orthodoxies for demonstrating how unsubstantiated claims can permeate elite journals.[33] The magazine's role in the broader Intellectual Dark Web (IDW) ecosystem has been highlighted as a strength, providing a venue for "dangerous" ideas sidelined by mainstream outlets and broadening the Overton window on topics like free speech and biological realism.[2] Contributors including Steven Pinker and Jordan Peterson have leveraged its platform to advance rationalist arguments, with the site's emphasis on open inquiry drawing praise from figures valuing empirical scrutiny over conformity. Quillette's editorial independence, sustained through reader subscriptions rather than institutional funding, has enabled consistent output since 2015, culminating in self-reported milestones like its most successful year in 2023 amid growing subscriber engagement.[34] By hosting critiques that challenge even allied viewpoints, such as internal IDW diversity, Quillette has been noted for intellectual self-correction, distinguishing it from echo chambers and contributing to nuanced public conversations on polarization.[35] This approach has solidified its reputation among proponents of classical liberalism as a bulwark against censorious trends, with its articles frequently cited in discussions of cancel culture and viewpoint suppression.[36]

Criticisms from Left-Leaning Sources

Left-leaning outlets have accused Quillette of harboring a covert right-wing agenda, repackaging pseudoscientific claims about racial and genetic hierarchies under the guise of intellectual inquiry. In a 2019 article, The Nation argued that Quillette promotes ideas from the Human Biodiversity (HBD) movement, including assertions of innate racial differences in intelligence, such as average IQ scores of 103 for East Asians, 100 for whites, and 85 for Blacks, echoing Charles Murray's The Bell Curve.[37] The piece highlighted contributors like Bo Winegard, Ben Winegard, and Brian Boutwell, whom it linked to HBD advocacy, claiming the publication normalizes alt-right-adjacent views by broadening the Overton window rightward while defending figures accused of white nationalism.[37] Critics have also pointed to Quillette's publication of controversial personal narratives and alleged misinformation campaigns as evidence of selective outrage against progressive movements. The Nation cited a 2018 essay by Stephen Elliott, accused of sexual misconduct, which critiqued #MeToo dynamics in self-pitying terms, portraying Quillette as empowering liberal men facing allegations to position themselves as anti-feminist experts.[37] Similarly, in June 2019, the Columbia Journalism Review condemned a Quillette article by Eoin Lenihan for promoting unsubstantiated claims of mainstream journalists' ties to Antifa, describing it as part of an anti-journalist smear effort that embedded misleading screenshots and ignored contextual evidence.[38] Incidents of apparent editorial gullibility have fueled charges of anti-left bias. In August 2019, Vox detailed how Quillette published an essay by a fabricated persona, "Archie Carter," purporting to be a disillusioned Democratic Socialists of America organizer exposing internal extremism; the hoaxer later revealed it as a deliberate test exploiting Quillette's eagerness to critique identity politics and the left.[39] Vox framed this as emblematic of Quillette's role in the Intellectual Dark Web, prioritizing narratives that embarrass progressive groups over rigorous vetting.[39] The Columbia Journalism Review has characterized Quillette as "the right wing's highly influential answer to Slate," implying it functions as a partisan counter to center-left outlets by amplifying heterodox but ideologically skewed content from the Intellectual Dark Web.[40] Such assessments from these sources, which self-identify with progressive journalism, often portray Quillette's commitment to data-driven skepticism of social justice orthodoxies—such as on gender dysphoria or campus censorship—as a veneer for reactionary creep, though Quillette has rebutted these as smears against open discourse.[40][37]

Impact on Public Discourse

Quillette has exerted influence on public discourse by serving as a prominent outlet for heterodox viewpoints, particularly those critiquing progressive orthodoxies in academia, media, and cultural institutions. Founded in 2015, it quickly became associated with the Intellectual Dark Web (IDW), a network of intellectuals advocating for open inquiry and challenging what they viewed as stifled debate on topics like sex differences, free speech, and identity politics; outlets like Quillette provided a key platform for IDW figures such as Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, helping to disseminate their ideas beyond niche audiences.[2][41] The publication's emphasis on empirical evidence and first-hand accounts has contributed to broader conversations on cancel culture and institutional censorship. For example, its articles documenting cases of professional repercussions for dissenting views—such as those involving academics skeptical of prevailing narratives on gender or race—have paralleled and informed public pushback against deplatforming, with Quillette's coverage cited in discussions of rising self-censorship rates among intellectuals, where surveys indicate up to 62% of academics self-censor on controversial topics to avoid backlash. By 2019, the site reached about 1 million unique monthly visitors, enabling these critiques to penetrate mainstream awareness and counterbalance narratives from left-leaning media outlets that often frame such dissent as fringe or harmful.[42][43] Quillette's role in amplifying data-driven arguments on sensitive issues, including biological influences on behavior and the limitations of affirmative approaches to gender dysphoria in youth, has gradually normalized empirical scrutiny in policy debates. This is evident in how early Quillette pieces questioning unsubstantiated claims in social psychology and public health—published when such views faced institutional resistance—aligned with later developments like increased scrutiny of ideological capture in journals and funding bodies, fostering a more pluralistic discourse less beholden to consensus-driven suppression. Currently, with over 110,000 subscribers, it sustains a dedicated readership that engages with and propagates these perspectives, contributing to a measurable diversification of online conversations on platforms where algorithmic biases might otherwise marginalize them.[25]

Controversies

Accusations of Bias and Extremism

Quillette has been accused by progressive commentators and media outlets of promoting right-wing bias and extremist ideologies, often framed as a vehicle for "fascist creep" that normalizes alt-right perspectives under the guise of intellectual inquiry.[37] In a December 2019 article in The Nation, critic Alexander Reid Ross described Quillette as "fascist creep par excellence," alleging it repackages white nationalist pseudoscience, such as human biodiversity (HBD) theories positing genetic bases for racial IQ differences (e.g., East Asians at 103, whites at 100, and blacks at 85), through contributors like Ben Winegard and Bo Winegard.[37] The piece cited specific articles, including a 2017 defense of The Bell Curve and opposition to de-platforming after mass shootings, as evidence of defending extremists, while noting founder Claire Lehmann's past ties to Rebel Media and her focus on countering "blank slate fundamentalism" with hereditarian social explanations.[37][44] Further accusations center on Quillette's coverage of race and systemic inequality, with critics labeling its critiques of prevailing narratives as racist. The Nation highlighted publications by figures like Jason Richwine, formerly linked to the now-defunct alt-right site alternativeright.com, and Brian Boutwell, who appeared on Stefan Molyneux's platform, as laundering racist content via liberal-leaning contributors.[37] Articles questioning "systemic racism" as an explanatory framework for disparities—arguing instead for cultural or behavioral factors—have drawn charges of downplaying historical racism and enabling white supremacist apologetics, though such pieces emphasize empirical data over ideological claims.[45] On gender issues, Quillette's publication of essays skeptical of transgender ideology, such as Kathleen Stock's claims about risks posed by trans women in female spaces, has prompted transphobia allegations from activists, who equate data-driven concerns with hatred.[37] These criticisms often arise in contexts where Quillette defends figures like Noah Carl, dismissed from a Cambridge fellowship in 2019 over alleged far-right ties, portraying the outlet as a haven for controversial heterodox views.[37] A notable controversy involved a May 2019 article by Eoin Lenihan listing 15 journalists as "Antifa cheerleaders" based on Twitter analysis, which The New Republic condemned as a dangerous right-wing smear that fueled harassment, including neo-Nazi threats and a YouTube "kill list" video.[46] The piece, amplified by outlets like Breitbart, was said to reflect Quillette's alignment with reactionary forces against leftist media, endangering targets despite Lehmann's defense of its journalistic merit.[46] In response to broader claims, Quillette has rejected far-right labels; a June 2023 podcast episode addressed allegations from a University of Cincinnati researcher, funded over $300,000 by the Department of Homeland Security, who equated the outlet's influence to InfoWars and more radicalizing than Fox News, calling it a potential "terrorist organization" in DHS terms.[5] Such accusations, primarily from left-leaning sources with histories of viewing dissent from progressive orthodoxy as inherently suspect, underscore tensions over what constitutes extremism versus open debate.[47]

Specific Disputes and Backlash Events

In 2018, Quillette faced significant backlash following its publication of articles defending Lisa Littman's study on "rapid-onset gender dysphoria" (ROGD), a phenomenon described as sudden gender identification in adolescents without prior history, potentially influenced by social factors. Littman's peer-reviewed paper, initially published in PLOS One on August 16, 2018, drew immediate criticism from transgender activists who argued it pathologized trans youth and relied on biased parent surveys from online forums skeptical of youth transitions; this led to an editorial note from PLOS One on September 4, 2018, acknowledging methodological concerns and prompting calls for retraction. Quillette responded by hosting an interview with Littman on March 19, 2019, where she detailed the activist pressure, including demands on Brown University (her employer) to discipline her, and an article by former Harvard Medical School dean Jeffrey Flier on August 31, 2018, criticizing Brown's failure to support academic freedom amid the uproar. Critics, including outlets like BuzzFeed News, labeled the coverage as amplifying anti-trans narratives, while supporters viewed it as resistance to ideological censorship of exploratory research.[48][49][50] Another dispute emerged from Quillette's 2017 articles engaging with debates on intelligence, race, and genetics, particularly defenses of Charles Murray's work. On June 2, 2017, Quillette published "Getting Voxed," critiquing Vox's portrayal of Murray's book The Bell Curve as pseudoscience, arguing that average IQ differences between racial groups are empirically observed and merit discussion without assuming causation. This piece, along with a June 11, 2017, article rebutting Vox's dismissal of hereditarian hypotheses, provoked accusations from progressive media of promoting eugenics or "race science." For instance, Vox contributor Ezra Klein had earlier condemned Murray's campus appearances as harmful, influencing protests; Quillette's stance amplified claims of the magazine's alignment with "alt-right" figures, despite its editor Claire Lehmann's self-description as a classical liberal. Such coverage contributed to broader left-leaning critiques, including a 2019 Nation article portraying Quillette as a conduit for "fascist creep" by platforming hereditarian views alongside liberal ones.[51][52][37] In November 2020, Quillette published an essay by journalist Abigail Shrier detailing activist efforts to suppress her book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, released January 2020, which questioned the evidence for medical transitions in minors. Shrier described campaigns pressuring Amazon to delist the book, bookstore boycotts, and social media harassment labeling it transphobic, including threats to her publisher Regnery. Published on November 7, 2020, the Quillette piece highlighted Silicon Valley's role, such as PayPal's temporary withholding of funds and Goodreads user reviews preemptively "spoiling" the content with one-star ratings from non-readers. Trans advocacy groups, including GLAAD, condemned the book as misinformation endangering youth, while Quillette framed the response as evidence of cancel culture stifling dissent on youth gender medicine, where long-term data on outcomes like desistance rates (up to 80-90% in some pre-2010 studies) remains contested. This incident underscored ongoing tensions, with similar patterns in Quillette's support for detransitioner testimonies and biological sex affirmations.[53]

References

  1. About - Quillette
  2. The Voice of the 'Intellectual Dark Web' - POLITICO Magazine
  3. Quillette – Ten Years of Ideas
  4. Quillette's Most Read—2024
  5. Episode 4: Is Quillette Far-Right?
  6. A Platform for Free Thought - Quillette
  7. How a Rebellious Scientist Uncovered the Surprising Truth About ...
  8. The Longevity of the Traumatized - Quillette
  9. Why I am a Eustonite - Quillette
  10. Claire Lehmann: after the Intellectual Dark Web
  11. From the Editor - Quillette
  12. [PDF] 1 Copyright by Kiara Walker 2023
  13. Contribute - Quillette
  14. Current details for ABN 82 623 668 619 - ABN Lookup
  15. FAQ - Quillette
  16. Join Us in 2020 - Quillette
  17. Help Us Build Our Platform for Free Thought - Quillette
  18. Our New, Subscription-Based World - Quillette
  19. Claire Lehmann on X: "Another Australian financial year done, and ...
  20. the local publisher winning where others won't tread
  21. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quillette-podcast/id1441708286
  22. The Libertarian Futurist Society, Prometheus Awards, LFS writers ...
  23. Victimhood Ideology and Feminism: Quillette Cetera Episode 1
  24. The Need for Rationality in a Hostile World - Quillette
  25. The Original Heterodox Publication - Quillette
  26. How Activists Took Control of a University: The Case Study of ...
  27. The Case for Diversity - Quillette
  28. The Google Memo: Four Scientists Respond - Quillette
  29. Is Quillette Left, Right, or Center (and Does It Matter)?
  30. Evolutionary Psychology - Quillette
  31. The Crisis That Could End Civilisation | Andrew Glover for Quillette
  32. Academic Grievance Studies - Heterodox Academy
  33. The Bankruptcy Of Grievance Studies - The American Conservative
  34. Quillette's Most Read—2023
  35. Caricaturing the Left Doesn't Benefit the Intellectual Dark Web
  36. The Academy's New Favorite Hate-Read
  37. Why Racists (and Liberals!) Keep Writing for 'Quillette' | The Nation
  38. Right-wing publications launder an anti-journalist smear campaign
  39. How “Archie Carter” hoaxed Quillette, the hoax-loving ... - Vox
  40. https://www.cjr.org/special_report/villains-disinformation-steve-brodner.php
  41. Opinion | Meet the Renegades of the Intellectual Dark Web
  42. Quillette, Claire Lehmann's “space for unusual viewpoints,” assessed.
  43. The Denial of Cancel Culture - Quillette
  44. https://quillette.com/2017/03/27/a-tale-of-two-bell-curves/
  45. 'Systemic Racism'—An Unhelpful Concept - Quillette
  46. Quillette's “Antifa Journalists” List Could've Gotten Me Killed
  47. Antifa, Quillette, and Media Bias | by Cathy Young | Arc Digital
  48. An Interview With Lisa Littman, Who Coined the Term 'Rapid Onset ...
  49. As a Former Dean of Harvard Medical School, I Question Brown's ...
  50. Gender Dysphoria Isn't A “Social Contagion,” According To A New ...
  51. Getting Voxed: Charles Murray, Ideology, and the Debate on IQ
  52. No Voice at VOX: Sense and Nonsense about Discussing IQ and Race
  53. Gender Activists Are Trying to Cancel My Book. Why is Silicon Valley ...
User Avatar
No comments yet.