Psychology Today recently published notorious pseudo-scientist Satoshi Kanazawa's article why black women are "objectively" less attractive than women of other races.
Kanazawa's work isn't only bad science, it is also relying on false stereotypes that have dehumanized blacks for centuries and contribute to the damaging notion that black women are less valuable than women of other races.
Public outcry prompted
Psychology Today to take the article down from their website, but the magazine has yet to make a statement.
That's why our friends at
Color of Change created a petition that calls for
Psychology Today to apologize -- and why we're joining their effort.
Urge
Psychology Today to issue an apology that explains why this happened and how they will prevent this kind of pseudoscience from happening again.
Dear Ms. Perina ,
I was disturbed by your journal's decision to publish "Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?" by Satoshi Kanazawa. An apology is owed to your readers and to Black women, and I would like to understand how this happened, what steps Psychology Today will take to make sure such irresponsible endorsements of dehumanizing pseudoscience doesn't happen again.
The article in question posited as fact that Black women are less attractive than women of other races and ethnicities. But it's clear that the post was actually an opinion piece written by someone known to promote racist and sexist ideas. That Psychology Today, which is regarded as a credible source of information about mental health, would publish such stereotype-driven propaganda is shameful. I also find it alarming that you would remove the post from your site but not admit your obvious error.
Please issue a public apology, explain how a damaging opinion piece masquerading as science made it through your journal's editorial process, and explain what you intend to do to make sure your audience isn't again subjected to efforts to promote the belief that Black women -- or any other group -- are inferior based on false science.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
