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The Worlds That Started The War

How the president's remarks on women thrust Harvard into the spotlight

“I agree with you, in fact, that it is wrong-headed to just dismiss the biology. But to put too much weight to it is also incredibly wrong-headed,” one member of the audience said.

Some say that, were it not for intense media coverage, Summers’ remarks may never have caused such controversy on campus.

“For a bit, it got out of hand,” says Freeman of the media frenzy. “It became like a little circus.”

In retrospect, Freeman says that he thinks “probably the biggest negative” would be if Summers became more restrained at conferences. “It would be terrible. Because he has a real mind.”

“The best thing would be if people say he’s outspoken and just take it as a given,” says Freeman, adding that, “you could say some of the things he said in a way less provocative way.”

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­—Staff writer Tina Wang can be reached at tinawang@fas.harvard.edu.

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