Richard Dawkins leaves atheist foundation after it unpublishes article saying gender based on biology

Famed biologist Richard Dawkins resigned from the board of a prominent U.S. atheist organization last week, after it censored an article arguing that gender is tied to biology.

In his resignation letter to the foundation, Dawkins called the removal of the piece "an act of unseemly panic" and accused the foundation of having "caved in to hysterical squeals from predictable quarters and retrospectively censored that excellent rebuttal."

Biologist and fellow FFRF member Jerry Coyne composed the "censored" article as a rebuttal to non-binary author and FFRF fellow Kat Grant's November article titled, "What is a Woman?"

Coyne's follow-up challenged Grant's point directly, arguing "the biological definition of 'woman'" is based on gamete type.

Shortly after FFRF published Coyne's piece, board co-presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor unpublished it and released a statement explaining their decision. 

"Publishing this post was an error of judgment, and we have decided to remove it as it does not reflect our values and principles. We regret any distress caused by this post and are committed to ensuring it doesn't happen again," they wrote. 

Following the move, both Coyne and US-Canadian psychologist Prof. Steven Pinker resigned from the foundation. Pinker blasted the group, saying it's "no longer a defender of freedom from religion but the imposer of a new religion, complete with dogma, blasphemy, and heretics."

In an email to FFRF leadership, Coyne wrote, "That is a censorious behavior I cannot abide. I was simply promoting a biological rather than a psychological definition of sex, and I do not understand why you would consider that 'distressing' and also an attempt to hurt LGBTQIA+ people, which I would never do."

He added, "The gender ideology which caused you to take down my article is itself quasi-religious, having many aspects of religions and cults, including dogma, blasphemy, belief in what is palpably untrue ('a woman is whoever she says she is'), apostasy, and a tendency to ignore science when it contradicts a preferred ideology."

Dawkins ended the letter amicably, however, writing, "Although I formally resign, I would like to remain on friendly terms with you, and I look forward to cooperating in the future."

Co-president Taylor responded to the resignations, The Telegraph reported, indicating the foundation has no intention to reverse their decision. "We do not feel that support for LGBTQ rights against the religious backlash in the United States is mission creep," she said, adding, "This growing difference of opinion probably made such a parting inevitable."

Dawkins declined Fox News Digital's request for comment.