“Whether a work of art or freak of nature she’s a beautiful sight to behold." Columbia University department of psychiatry chair, Jeffrey A. Lieberman, who has been suspended "effective immediately" for his tweet upon seeing,
In an email to his colleagues on Tuesday before he was suspended, he apologized for the tweet, describing it as “racist and sexist.” He added that he was “deeply ashamed” of his “prejudices and stereotypical assumptions.”
“An apology from me to the Black community, to women, and to all of you is not enough,” Dr. Lieberman wrote in the email. “I’ve hurt many, and I am beginning to understand the work ahead to make needed personal changes and over time to regain your trust.”
Dr. Lieberman, who specializes in schizophrenia and is considered one of the leading psychiatrists in the nation, was also removed from his position as psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. That decision is final, according to a spokesman for Columbia University.
Dr. Lieberman also resigned from his role as executive director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute on Tuesday evening.
“We condemn the racism and sexism reflected in Dr. Lieberman’s tweet and acknowledge and share the hurt, sadness, confusion, and distressing emotions you may be feeling,” Thomas Smith, the new acting director, and other leaders said in an email to staff on Wednesday afternoon.
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Dr. Lieberman’s post came in response to a tweet that referred to Ms. Gatwech as “it” and described her as the “most beautiful among the black beauties.”
Okay, the tweet was not quite that bad: "It is not a work of art made of black stone or granite. She is Sudanese model Nyakim Gatwech". If the concern is that "it" dehumanizes the model the original poster immediately humanized the model with "She." "This is not a work of art...She is...Nyakim Gatwech", would that have been better? The photograph is a "this" or an "it," the photograph is not human.
It erroneously stated that she was in the Guinness Book of World Records for her dark skin.
“I can’t imagine it’s even possible to know who’s the lightest or darkest person on the planet!,” Ms. Gatwech said in an Instagram post that dispelled the rumor and included a screenshot of Dr. Lieberman’s tweet.
I had the same question about the Guinness record but Guinness has world records for everything. Making her a world record itself is...dehumanizing?, I don't know what the word is, "quantifies"?, but not good...and invites Lieberman's "freak of nature" reaction; then that the world record claim was erroneous is far worse.
“Whether a work of art or freak of nature she’s a beautiful sight to behold." That is dehumanizing the black-skinned woman as an object "beautiful to behold." It's also a little creepy, like how did the chair of the Columbia psychiatry department even run across this other person's (sorry I don't know from the name if the person is male or female) tweet of a photograph of this dark-skinned woman? Was he googling, "darkest black beauty" or something? Eww. Lieberman’s tweet is breathless with sexual excitement. It fethishizes black skin color--not that white men have ever done that, right?--and so is racist. And of course, sexist. A male, white, I assume, as in a museum or freak tent at the circus, or a strip club, contemplating this person as a beautiful "thing" that sexually excites him. A woman is not a landscape or flower or building--a "sight"--"beautiful to behold" for the male's titillation.
Okay, having thought this through in writing--but I had to think about it.--that's a big fuck up, racist and sexist, by the original poster and by Dr. Lieberman.
*P.S. After reaching that concluding sentence I stepped away and did something else and I thought, "Would I have written what Lieberman wrote?" NOT that that is the fucking standard here, but I do those self-checks in addition. And full 100 here, I no sooner had the thought than the instant answer, "No." Not only would I not have written it, I would not have spoken it or thought it, nor anything similar to it and I never would have come across the tweet by this weirdo Mynameis...Miro @zg4ever.
