The identity of the woman behind the Google spreadsheet called "Sh**ty Media Men" has just been revealed. Moira Donegan confirmed that she was the one who created the file in October last year.
What Is The Spreadsheet About?
"Sh**ty Media Men" is a compilation of anonymously reported instances of sexual harassment by men in the media. Majority of the contents of the spreadsheet detailed violent sexual misconduct by men working in magazine and publishing companies.
Donegan wrote an article where she explained her decision to create the controversial spreadsheet. She said that it was her first attempt at solving an "intractable problem" on how women can protect themselves from sexual predators.
The author said that "Sh**ty Media Men" was only available for approximately 12 hours, and she didn't expect that it would spread as far and as quickly as it did. This resulted in the once-private document being made public after its existence was exposed online by BuzzFeed writer Doree Shafrir.
"A slew of thinks pieces ensued, with commentators alternately condemning the documents as reckless, malicious or puritanically anti-sex. Many called the document irresponsible, emphasizing that since it was anonymous, false accusations could be added without consequence," wrote Donegan.
The author of the document admitted that she never anticipated that what happened will happen. Donegan simply wanted to create the document as a place for women to share their stories without being discredited or judged by others.
Moira Donegan Comes Forward
Meanwhile, before Donegan came forward, Punisher: War Zone director Lexi Alexander was accused of originating the document. She later on clarified that she had nothing to do with it.
Donegan decided to come clean about her deed after she learned that Harper's magazine was about to expose her identity through a story written by Katie Roiphe. However, the latter denied that they had plans to do so.
According to Donegan, Roiphe first reached out to her in December. She did not directly say that she knows Donegan was the author of the spreadsheet but asked her questions related to the feminist movement.
"She did not say that she knew I had created the spreadsheet. I declined and heard nothing from Roiphe or Harper's until I received an email from a fact checked with questions about Roiphe's piece," said Donegan.
Regardless of the controversy that Donegan was involved in, she said that she's grateful to those who spread the document because these are the same people that used their power in a special way.
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