The journalist who created a spreadsheet where women could anonymously share stories of sexual harassment or abuse they had encountered from men in the media industry came forward Wednesday night in a first-person article published in The Cut.
Moira Donegan, who has written for outlets including The New Yorker, said she started the "Sh--- Media Men" list as a "first attempt at solving what has seemed like an intractable problem: how women can protect ourselves from sexual harassment and assault."
The list, which included accusations that range from unwanted flirting to rape, has drawn praise and criticism since going viral.
Donegan wrote that the document was intended to be private. She said she came forward after being approached by Katie Roiphe, who was writing a piece for Harper's magazine. Donegan also received an email from a fact checker asking her how she wanted to respond to being "widely believed" to be a creator of the list, she said.
Giulia Melucci, Harper's vice president of public relations, told NBC News that Harper's never intended to publish Donegan's name.
