RICHMOND, Va., June 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Do No
Harm filed a lawsuit against the discriminatory
"Selected Professions Fellowships" program offered by the
American Association of University Women (AAUW), which illegally
excludes certain women based on race.
Women pursuing an education in one of AAUW's designated degree
programs can receive $20,000 and networking opportunities.
Fellowships awarded for medicine, law, and business
are "restricted to women of color" and are "open only to women
from ethnic minority groups ... Black or African American,
Hispanic or Latino/a, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian,
and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander."
AAUW's "Selected Professions Fellowships" program violates the
Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. ยง1981, which requires racial
equality in "to mak[ing] and enforce[ing] contracts."
Do No Harm is filing on behalf of its medical-student members
who meet all criteria laid out by AAUW but are ineligible to apply
to the fellowship because of their race.
"We must keep identity politics out of medical education whether
that be in the classroom or in medical fellowship programs,"
said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb,
Chairman of Do No Harm. "Every patient deserves access to the
best possible care. Yet, ideologically driven fellowships such as
those offered by the American Association of University Women, do
not improve care. Medical fellowships should be awarded to students
because of merit, not race."
"The American Association of University Women should be ashamed
of their archaic and illegal practice of discrimination based on
race, said Kristina Rasmussen,
Executive Director of Do No Harm. "As a women-led organization
they should be lifting up all women. The AAUW should reverse course
and open their fellowships and other opportunities to all
women."
Do No Harm, established in April
2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant
strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological
threats. With more than 8,000 members, including doctors, nurses,
physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and in 14
countries, DNH has achieved more than 9,700 media hits in top-tier
publications and garnered widespread attention through numerous
broadcast news appearances.
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/do-no-harm-sues-american-association-of-university-women-for-racial-discrimination-302178167.html
SOURCE Do No Harm