@runaway887 I don’t think they meant academia isn’t a “real” job per se (even though those are the words they used). I think they meant it’s a very different type of job then others, and that’s reflected in Gay’s responses. It’s not a comparison of harder vs easier work even, it’s just that there are different norms. Here’s another example:
There was a question a few weeks ago by a trans person who works the front desk at a doctor’s office, and a transphobic patient had to have appointments scheduled around this person’s work schedule to avoid conflict.
Gay’s answer was something like, ideally the doctor would drop that person as a patient, but at least they’re making accommodations for you. Public reaction in the comments was like, actually it’s not ideal to withhold medical care from someone because of their biases. Everyone deserves medical care no matter how much you disagree with them. This is part of a doctor’s code of ethics.
To me, Gay’s answer came off as a very academic. Like, not understanding the obligations of other jobs. Academia in general tries to protect free speech, expression, and experimentation. That’s not how most other jobs work.