This makes me nervous, and I'm not sure why

November 22, 2002 10:02 AM

Rachel Marsden Back in the News: A few years back, a Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) swimming coach was fired after it was found that he had sexually harassed a student. But then the coach was "later reinstated when an external mediator found procedural errors in the university's investigation of the case." The student later became a right-wing journalist. Now she herself is being charged with harassment. By the way, her own site is down from all the traffic today.
posted by 314/ (14 comments total)

Weird - "In 1999, she was ordered not to frequent any location where her former criminology professor might be after he accused her of asking him out on dates."

Sounds like she's got a real long term problem with not being able to handle relationships.
posted by Irontom at 10:24 AM on November 22, 2002

I've explored all the links and it's hard to tell whether to give the Marsden the benefit of the doubt or not, but then that's what trials are for. There are three harassment incidents mentioned, one that may or may not be a case of false accusations, one that was a case of Marsden doing some harassment herself, a third one that might be. With three separate plumes of smoke, my suspicion is that there could very well be some fire.

On an unrelated note, I read some of her work and it's not that good, though she is rather funny. It'll be interesting to see what all the publicity does to or for her career, and it's really interesting to wonder if it's helped her out so far, as she's done better than her abilities seem to merit.
posted by orange swan at 10:40 AM on November 22, 2002

If you read any of her articles, you'll find she has a long-term problem with poor writing skills, too. Regardless of her views, she's simply at the level of my little sister (11th grade) in her skills as a writer.

[Oops, kind of the same as orange swan, but I found her attempts at humor not that humorous.]
posted by valval22 at 10:42 AM on November 22, 2002

Archive.org has a copy from Nov 17, 2001, while the Aug 03, 2001 has the "slinky dress" which is referenced in the article [along with a crazy amount of glamour shots {probably NSFW} ].
posted by plemeljr at 10:43 AM on November 22, 2002

That dress isnt so much slinky as muddy...
posted by Irontom at 10:49 AM on November 22, 2002

I assumed this was the "slinky dress".
posted by Songdog at 11:17 AM on November 22, 2002

The NatPost story characterizes the university sex harass case this way: "In 1995, she accused swim coach Liam Donnelly of sexual harassment. The university fired Mr. Donnelly, but reinstated him two months later amidst questions about Ms. Marsden's credibility."

In other words, there might have been more to dismissing the case against the swim coach than "procedural errors."
posted by sacre_bleu at 11:19 AM on November 22, 2002

ever notice how right-wing firebabes always seem to have Studs-worthy headshots?
posted by donkeyschlong at 11:21 AM on November 22, 2002

She's very much a sexual creature isn't she, harassment here and there, slinky dresses, mud, you name it. Not too many talking head types go this route. I don't think you'd be too likely to see Barbara Walters or Bill O'Reilly in a muddy, low cut number, and its really a shame...
posted by Pollomacho at 11:23 AM on November 22, 2002

Not too many talking head types go this route.

Yeah, but at least we have sweet, sweet, Ann to pass the time.
posted by plemeljr at 12:09 PM on November 22, 2002

Ah, yes, she's just so sweet I almost feel nauseous!
posted by Pollomacho at 12:20 PM on November 22, 2002

*Sigh*.... Rachel Marsden manged to ruin the careers of both the University President, John Stubbs, who resigned as a result of the scandal, and Patricia O'Hagan, the University's Sexual Harassment Coordinator. I was working at Simon Fraser during the initial firing and eventual reinstatement of the swim coach, Liam Donnelly, and believe that Marsden is a deeply troubled young woman. Also, her resume is faked: she never 'anchored and produced news programs in Vancouver'. She did, however, harass a Criminology professor subsequent to the scandal that initially made the news; he refused to have her in class unless a third party graded all her papers, and she promised not to continually email him.... in short, she needs help.
posted by jokeefe at 9:12 PM on November 22, 2002

On further reading, one finds this at: http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/marsden/Default.htm

"Rachel was awarded the Canadian Governor General's Medal of Excellence for her academic achievements. "

God, the woman has no shame (yes, the above is a lie). Personality disorder of some kind, methinks.
posted by jokeefe at 9:19 PM on November 22, 2002

Okay, I'll moderate the above comment. Marsden was in fact, in 1992, one of the 2,546 recipients of a GG bronze (as opposed to silver or gold) Academic medal for graduating from high school with a high GPA.
I still say she's bonkers.
posted by jokeefe at 9:32 PM on November 22, 2002