In 2025 anthropologists are split roughly 50/50 in support of Mead and Freeman

Most anthropologists agree that Freeman comprehensively discredited Mead's work

Most anthropologists agree that Freeman's desire to discredit Mead lead him to overstate certain aspects of his case. Even if Mead's work was not perfect, Freeman was unable to refute it.

Most anthropologists believe that Freeman's critique was almost entirely accurate but have decided to support Mead nonetheless for largely ideological reasons.