Why all the hate on dual wielding?

[Easy_Lee]

I'm pretty sure that the argument is that Crossbow Expert is the feat to take to get that second attack. It's not wrong. It just relies on the idea that the ranged rogue is always the way to go. That itself may or may not be wrong from a pure optimization perspective. However, there will always be players that want to play melee rogues. Also, regardless of any discussion on these boards or elsewhere about the skill system and whether or not hiding is extremely easy to do in combat (and thus easily setting up the ranged rogue for SAs), there are going to be plenty of DMs who will nix that idea, so the dual wielding rogue is definitely a solid build to use for the wider gaming public.

That's one class out of six melee classes that might TWF. Even then, crossbow expert is better even if you want a melee rogue because it lets you fire hand crossbows in melee. Even if the DM is a stickler about having a free hand for loading, a melee rogue can still work around it.

Not holding rapier at start of round: make two crossbow attacks, load crossbow, draw rapier.
Holding rapier at start of round, crossbow loaded: attack with rapier, bonus action fire crossbow
Holding rapier at start of round, crossbow not loaded: attack with rapier, sheath rapier, load and fire hand crossbow, reload crossbow. (Or sheath rapier and fire twice if your DM is a major stickler about the holding a loaded hand crossbow part).