MeTooSTEM Leader Admits to Faking Twitter Account

BethAnn McLaughlin will step away from the organization after confirming allegations that she posed as @Sciencing_Bi, a fabricated queer indigenous researcher and victim of sexual harassment.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 4 min read

Save for Later

Twitter, identity fraud, BethAnn McLaughlin, indigenous, scientist, fabrication, MeTooSTEM, sexual harassment

Listen with Speechify

0:00

4:00

ABOVE: © ISTOCK.COM, BOMBUSCREATIVE

BethAnn McLaughlin, the controversial founder of the advocacy group MeTooSTEM, has confirmed that she fabricated an entire persona whom she used for years to communicate through Twitter.

In an apology issued through her lawyers to The New York Times, McLaughlin admitted to “full responsibility for my involvement in creating the @sciencing_bi Twitter account. My actions are inexcusable. I apologize without reservation to all the people I hurt.” She added that she will be stepping away from leadership of MeTooSTEM, “to ensure that it isn’t unfairly criticized for my actions,” and that she will be seeking mental health counseling.

The anonymous account, @Sciencing_Bi, first began tweeting in 2016, and over the years claimed to be a queer indigenous woman, a survivor of sexual harassment, and an anthropologist affiliated with Arizona State University (ASU). Through her seemingly candid stories about her own experiences, @Sciencing_Bi built up a loyal ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
View Full Profile