A measured response to yesterday's furore about @psychmag and @justcallmekirsty (thread)

Firstly, I replied in anger and haste last night with a knee-jerk and ill-considered response. I apologise for that. It was wrong to suggest the ed should lose his job.

@FosterChangeUK

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Second, I stand by my opinion that the editor should reconsider the decision to publish an opinion piece that crossed a line from provoking debate to pushing an anti social justice agenda (the writer confirmed that she opposes social justice.

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I am a writer and editor myself. We all make errors of judgement. I have done many times. In those circumstances, I've apologised and tried to put right. Sometimes it's been well received. Once, it led to me no longer writing for that publication.

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It hurts to know you've messed up. It's hard to apologise. But sometimes it's the right thing to do. In this instance, I believe an apology from the editor a reconsideration of giving the writer's views a platform would be reasonable and expected.

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With regard to the writer, I stand by my opinion that her views are abhorrent. I believe that was the correct choice of word, and many agree with me. I don't appreciate my journalistic skills being called into question.

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More worryingly, the writer telling me that I 'need help' and to develop 'coping skills' because I challenged her is quite shockingly crass and unprofessional from a psychologist. I'm utterly flabberghasted that she would say such things, given her position.

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I accept that I presumed to speak for others last night, and I shouldn't have done that. I can't and shouldn't claim to know what POC think of the writer's opinions. I apologise for that.

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The writer's subsequent tweet - saying that opposing social justice doesn't make her racist, with patronising hand claps between each word - has most likely made her opinions less valid, rather than more.

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I also object to being called a bully and thinking I'm God. I wrote too hastily last night, and as I said above, I overreacted by saying the editor's position was untenable, but I certainly don't think I was bullying anyone.

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Finally, we're in strange times - not just with Covid, but with George Floyd, Wisconsin etc. In this climate, I think anyone who gives people a public platform, and represents a professional body, needs to give even more consideration than usual to what they publish.

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In conclusion, I'm sorry for my rash overreaction, but I stand by my opinion that the opinion piece shouldn't have been published. Here are some happy bees on a sunflower. Over and out.

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