Popular science writer -and New Atheism idol - Isaac Asimov was notorious for crude behavior around women

[ "Was popular science writer Isaac Asimov accused of sexual misconduct toward women ? " ]Isaac Asimov was widely known for a history of unwanted touching, groping, and sexual harassment toward women throughout his career. While formal legal "accusations" were not a common feature of his era, his behavior was so notorious within the science fiction community [that he was nicknamed "the man with a hundred hands".]Key details regarding his conduct include:Public and Serial Groping: Asimov frequently groped or pinched women at science fiction conventions, in the workplace, and in private. This behavior was often described by his peers and friends, including Harlan Ellison and Frederik Pohl, as a "proclivity" that was widely tolerated at the time.Targeted Vulnerability: He often chose targets who were less likely to protest, such as young fans, secretaries, and researchers, rather than women in positions of professional power over him."The Positive Power of Posterior Pinching": In 1961, his reputation was so established that the chairman of the World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon III) invited him to give a lecture with this specific title, effectively treating his harassment as a joke.Self-Identification: [Asimov often referred to himself as a "Dirty Old Man" and even wrote a book titled The Sensuous Dirty Old Man (1971), in which he leaned into this persona.]Contemporary Re-evaluation: [Recent biographies, such as Alec Nevala-Lee’s Astounding, have documented these behaviors in detail, sparking a modern re-evaluation of his legacy as a "serial harasser" whose actions drove some women away from the science fiction field.]