Laura Helmuth, the embattled Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American, announced her departure from the publication after a very public meltdown on social media following President Donald Trump’s overwhelming victory on election night.
Helmuth wrote, “I’ve decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief. I’m going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching), but for now I’d like to share a very small sample of the work I’ve been so proud to support.”
After the election, Helmuth shared a series of posts on X, that have since been deleted, saying that those who voted for Donald Trump were racist, sexist, and fascist.
First, she asked followers for help for those “devasted by the results.”
“Any advice for what workplaces can do to help people who are devasted by the election? Thanks so much.”
She then called her fellow Gen Xers, who were instrumental in Trump’s election, “fascists.”
“I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f***ing fascists.”
“Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f*** them to the moon and back.”
Then, like any typical ivory-tower far-left “intellectual,” she made sure to express her disdain for those in “flyover” country, calling them racist and sexist.
“Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and less sexist. The moral arc of the universe isn’t going to bend itself.”
During Helmuth’s tenure, the publication has been criticized for turning from a once respected, objective science magazine into a woke political publication.
Helmuth’s tenure also saw the publication of articles that blurred the lines between scientific research and activism. A 2021 article, “From Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter”, addressed what makes various social justice movements successful. “Social movements have likely existed for as long as oppressive human societies have, but only in the past few centuries has their praxis […] developed into a craft, to be learned and honed,” the article read. Several articles argued in favour of abortions, with one headline claiming: “Third-Trimester Abortions Are Moral and Necessary Health Care.”
The outlet published numerous articles promoting transgender medical interventions. It also published articles advocating against age restrictions for these procedures. One such article claimed that “a decade of research shows such treatment reduces depression, suicidality and other devastating consequences of trans preteens and teens being forced to undergo puberty in the sex they were assigned at birth”, a proposition that has come under international scrutiny in recent years.
Called out on her profanity-laced attack on millions of Americans, she shared an apology on the platform BlueSky before ultimately resigning.
