His essay was denounced for its explicit homophobia shortly after its release. About one month later, in October 1970, members of the Gay Activists Alliance staged a sit-in demonstration at Harper's headquarters in midtown Manhattan to protest the magazine's decision to publish the piece, as well as its failure to issue an apology or subsequent essay countering Epstein's views. The following year, Merle Miller, a former Harper's editor, came out publicly in a lengthy personal essay for the New York Times Magazine that incorporated responses to Epstein.
Referencing a portion of Epstein's piece in Harper's, in which Epstein said he "would wish homosexuality off the face of this earth" if possible and added that his reaction "would not be simple" if a close friend were gay, Miller asked: "I could not help wondering what Epstein, who is, I believe, a literary critic, would do about the person and the work of W.H. Auden, homosexual and generally considered to be the greatest living poet in English. 'We must love one another or die.' Except for homosexuals?"
Epstein never amended the homophobic and racist language that characterized his 1970 essay, nor did he address the public fallout until 2015. In an article penned for the Washington Examiner, titled "The Unassailable Virtue of Victims," he lamented "political correctness" and suggested it "squashed discussion and in many realms of public life replaced ethics" as voicing derogatory statements became more commonly unacceptable.
Epstein also seemed to defend the comments included in his Harper's piece, claiming "the chief points of [his] essay were that no one had a true understanding of the origins of human homosexuality."
The writer's name began to circulate online over the weekend, following the Wall Street Journal's release of his recent op-ed targeting President-elect Joe Biden's wife for calling herself a doctor. "Jill Biden should think about dropping the honorific, which feels fraudulent, even comic," Epstein wrote of the incoming first lady's use of the title, which she earned upon receiving a doctoral degree in education leadership from the University of Delaware.
On Saturday, Melissa Korn, a higher education reporter at The Wall Street Journal, decried Epstein's article and criticized her employer's decision to publish it.
"I cannot bring myself to include a link, because why give it more air? But that op-ed belittling Jill Biden, urging her to drop the Dr., mocking her research on community college, likening her degree to an honorary doctorate, is disgusting," Korn wrote on Twitter. "Pieces like that make it harder for me to do my job."
Newsweek reached out to The Wall Street Journal and the Biden-Harris transition team for comments but did not receive replies in time for publication.
Newsweek, EMILY CZACHORON 12/13/20.
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December 13, 2020
Voices4America Post Script. Joseph Epstein, formerly an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern, apparently has a limitless sense of his own entitlement. He calls Dr. Jill Biden " kiddo" and tells her how to evaluate her own hard won academic achievements. He also has no hesitation “to wish homosexuality off the face of the earth.” Really.
Here are his comments on homosexuality.
Why should we be surprised! Misogyny, homophobia, racism, all come with a white man’s entitlement package.
Epstein’s WSJ attack is on the very essence of the Biden family, where each person gets to use their talents and be respected for who they are, what they achieve.
#JosephEpstein and his #WSJEnablers should be ashamed. The Right’s goal is to tarnish each Biden family member, and ultimately to denigrate our new President.
Here are other Twitter responses too.
