Here's his response, Strega: [link]

When the Million Dollar Challenge was offered at the American Atheists meeting, it deeply offended some feminists, as can be seen from the article cited, and by the comments that follow. Why? Isn't the sex difference in availability simply a fact, demonstrated by experiment and dramatised as folk wisdom by the Million Dollar Challenge? Why does the recounting of a fact give offence, if it is true? Part of the reason seems to be the old fallacy that if something is 'biological' it is inescapable and can be used to justify bad behaviour. Needless to say, that is nonsense. Paradoxically, one objection to the Million Dollar Challenge is precisely that it doesn't tell us anything we didn't know already.

Yes, Richard. It's biological. There is no cultural issues here, at all. And the women writing to object are called, "hysterical twaddle."

When the organizer of the conference/Director of the Alabama chapter of American Atheists was asked, "What was the point of the million dollar challenge?"

He responded (copypasta):

The point was to show that women hold the power over men.

So I think I may have conflated what Dawkins thinks the point is with what the organizer thinks the point is. But given Dawkins' boneheaded response, I don't think so.

Plus he totally fell in love with his wife for her spicy brains.

One of my favorite Lawrence Miles lines:

Religious extremists are people who plant bombs in family planning clinics and fly aeroplanes into heavily-occupied buildings. Evolutionary extremists are people who write overly smug blog entries and shag Lalla Ward.

The Guardian How We Met piece on Dawkins and Ward from 1994 [link]

Why does it bother you now?

Mainly the "Bright" thing. Also

his fairly-typical 70 year old highly science educated white guy's cringe-worthy foot-in-mouth gender statements

I just think he's kind of an ass, and I don't want to be automatically associated with him. But I guess eventually someone was going to take the helm of the atheist flagship, and it seems likely that a person so inclined might be kind of an ass, so whatever. I'm not saying he's not brilliant and hilarious.

If you're trying to find a movement with no asses, your search will be long and fruitless.

Good god, why isn't this status report writing itself?

I'm not trying to find an assless movement, ita.

I think that psychologically, it's somehow easier for me to deal with clueless sexism than it is for me to deal with carefully thought-out justifications for sexism wrapped in just-so stories that seem to make the ass feel as though his privilege is somehow...earned?

That was for Zenkitty, who didn't want to be associated with a movement with Dawkins in it. I don't know how you find a movement where everyone passes muster. It would say a lot about people. We probably wouldn't need movements.

I wasn't looking for a movement at all.

Timelies, all. I'm in Sydney today - we are finishing our 42 day Asia cruise, and it is going to be WEIRD today to have other people on the ship. 42 days is a long time, it felt like we were all friends!!

Plus my roommate/ship best friend goes home today as well, and I am NOT holding it together too well. This being my first contract I'm not yet used to people just leaving all the time. There may have been lots of tears at the crew bar last night. I felt like such a child. But I'm emotional, always have been, probably nothing to do about that now!!

Next cruise is 17 days up over the northern coast of Australia with a quick stop up to Bali. Should be nice!!

I wasn't looking for a movement at all.

I've been eating Activia.