GQ has sacked UK political correspondent Rupert Myers after a woman went public to accuse him of sexually assaulting her in London.
Myers acted as a political correspondent for the magazine, and has also written for publications such as the Guardian and the Independent, and joined EA Law (East Anglian Chambers) as a barrister in 2009.
The liberal journalist has written at length against U.S. President Donald Trump, Brexit, and a host of other folk devils of the Left, and once penned a lengthy article condemning the objectification of women, commenting sagely that “it is impossible to ignore the disparity between my experience and those of women who have suffered the inhibiting attentions of men treating women as objects”.
But his writing career appears to have been brought to an abrupt and grinding halt by an accusation of sexual assault on social media website Twitter, by a woman who met him in London for drinks when she first arrived in the British capital.
“Ok, here goes. I haven’t told this story because I listened to the voice that told me it ‘wasn’t that bad’ or ‘worth talking about’…” began author and journalist Kate Leaver.
“When I moved to London, I wanted to make friends. I met @RupertMyers on Twitter and agreed to go for what I thought was a friendly drink.
“I was very clear about not being romantically or sexually interested in him, once the subject was raised. I suggested we be mates.
“He said ‘I’ve got enough mates, I’d rather fuck you’ and forced himself on me outside a pub in Fitzrovia.”
Myers has deleted his Twitter account, but screenshots indicate he initially offered something of a non-apology, writing: “If you feel I have said or done anything towards you that was sub-optimal in the past you have my sincere and unreserved apologies.”
As the furore surrounding the situation intensified, this was upgraded to: “I am truly and unreservedly sorry for my actions.”
Ms Leaver also provided a screenshot of what she says is a Direct Message from Myers reading “kate i’m sorry”, commenting that this was “not enough”.
GQ has responded to the revelations by terminating his contract with immediate effect. By an ironic twist of fate, the magazine recently published an article by Myers titled ‘Men Are The Problem’, in which he took aim at Trump voters and boasted:
“GQ, the men’s magazine with an IQ, knows that most of us have successfully made the evolution to 21st century man. Powerful women don’t intimidate us, equality excites us, and we’re becoming increasingly embarrassed by men who want to inherit the same gender dynamics that our grandparents grew up with.”
Many other women — as well as some men — have accused Myers of behaving inappropriately since Ms Leaver came forward.