An anonymous woman, identified as Jane Doe, accused Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, of sexual misconduct in 2017. The media’s treatment of her allegations highlights cultural confusion about sex and consent, reveals the gendered assumptions surrounding sexual violence, and underscores the challenges of disproving false accusations.

Progressives often champion the idea of sex as a “spectrum,” but when sexual assault enters the conversation, gender and sex suddenly become rigid. In cases of alleged sex crimes, society tends to associate predation with men, assuming women are innocent of sexual aggression.

Social sympathy often favors women over men, creating an uneven playing field where sexual predation is defined almost entirely by male behavior.

Despite the weakness of Doe’s testimony, left-leaning outlets framed the story to sympathize with Doe and cast Hegseth in a harsh light. NPR led by stating that Doe could not recall the evening but consistently said “no” to Hegseth’s advances. Time, CNN, ABC, and the Guardian highlighted a portion of Doe’s testimony in which she claimed Hegseth used his body to block her from leaving his hotel room.

This selective framing approaches advocacy on Doe’s behalf. But the full police investigation suggests that Doe, not Hegseth, initiated the sexual encounter.

‘We shouldn’t be doing this’

The incident occurred after an afterparty at the Republican Women’s Conference in Monterey, California, between Oct. 7 and 8, 2017. According to the report, the two had sex in the early morning of Oct. 8 after conversing at the hotel bar and arguing near the pool. Doe claimed she was sexually assaulted, said she could not remember most of the evening of Oct. 7, and expressed concern that “something may have been slipped into her drink.”

Hegseth, however, stated he had no intention of sleeping with Doe until she returned to his hotel room and remained there. He said that after initial confusion over her continued presence, “things progressed” between them, ultimately leading to sexual intercourse.

Aside from Doe’s testimony, there is no evidence that she was intoxicated or impaired before or after the encounter. She maintained a coherent text conversation with her husband throughout the night until approximately the time intercourse occurred. Her husband also stated that she showed no signs of intoxication when she returned to their room after the incident.

However, a hotel employee who confronted Doe and Hegseth at the pool due to a noise complaint said Doe appeared sober, while Hegseth seemed “heavily intoxicated.” Hegseth admitted he was “buzzed” and recalled being led away from the hotel bar by someone he could not identify. He described the person’s attire, which matched Doe’s dress. Additionally, Hegseth could not recall his encounter with Doe and hotel staff at the pool.

Hegseth stated that after he and Doe arrived at his hotel room, he became confused when she did not leave. Eventually, they engaged in sexual activity, during which Hegseth said he repeatedly asked Doe for confirmation that she was comfortable. Despite both acknowledging that they “shouldn’t be doing this,” they continued the encounter. Hegseth expressed concern that Doe regretted her actions shortly after the sexual encounter ended.

Can women sexually prey on men?

The Hegseth incident addresses a cultural taboo because the most reasonable interpretation of the facts suggests either a consensual sexual encounter or a deliberate attempt by a woman to engage in sexual conquest.

Matt Walsh’s famous and controversial documentary posed the simple question: “What is a woman?” Assuming society can answer this challenging riddle, a follow-up question should be considered: “What is a sexually predatory woman?” Few people can offer a clear answer to this provocative question. Traditional definitions of rape have long excluded male victims. Until 2012, the FBI defined rape as the “carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will,” explicitly assuming only female victimhood.

Although the legal definition of rape now technically allows for male victims, society continues to frame predation based on male behavior. Understanding female sexual aggression remains nearly impossible under current cultural conditions because discussions of sex and gender are politicized and incoherent. Sex is fluid, and men and women are supposedly interchangeable — until an accusation of sexual abuse arises. In those cases, men are almost always seen as suspects, never victims.

The Hegseth allegations highlight this reality. A man who engaged in Doe’s behavior would be criticized as a sexual predator. If a sober man walked a heavily intoxicated woman to her hotel room, refused to leave, and ultimately had sex with her, he would open himself up to cultural and legal liability. Because of her sex, however, Doe was able to present herself as Hegseth’s victim, even when relevant testimony appears to undermine her narrative.

Call it the Hegseth dilemma. Despite his powerful position as a Fox News contributor, he settled a meritless claim of sexual assault for an undisclosed amount of money to fend off the possibility of a lawsuit that could damage his reputation.

Of course, Hegseth is hardly the most sympathetic victim and, as discussed in the National Review, these allegations are bad news for his confirmation odds, even if he did not assault Doe. However, most men are not Pete Hegseth. They have no deep pockets to avoid the liability of false allegations, and if their reputations are ruined by false rape allegations, they will likely lose social support, without recourse.

Addressing the problems of sexual assault presents big challenges. Whether a woman alleges rape or a man denies the accusation as false, provability poses a major hurdle in both situations. Social sympathy often favors women over men, creating an uneven playing field where sexual predation is defined almost entirely by male behavior.

Let’s hope the Hegseth allegations can spark honest conversations about the confusion surrounding gender relationships in an era where the sexes are assumed — incorrectly — to be interchangeable. Culturally, we can either assume women are the weaker sex and protect them accordingly, or women should accept accountability, a price of equality that feminist culture has historically fought to avoid.