Johns Hopkins Medicine Chief Diversity Officer steps down in wake of backlash over newsletter
BALTIMORE - The Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine stepped down after backlash over an online newsletter.
Dr. Sherita Golden resigned from the position this week two months after a January newsletter sparked controversy among conservatives for her definition of "privilege."
The newsletter defined privilege, in part, as a "set of unearned benefits," giving a broad list of examples of privileged groups including: white people; able-bodied; heterosexuals; cisgendered; men; Christians; middle or owning class; middle-aged; and English speakers.
An X (formerly Twitter) account @EndWokeness posted screenshots from the newsletter. Elon Musk elevated the post, writing "This must end!"
Dr. Golden later "retracted and disavowed" the definition.
Johns Hopkins Health System President Kevin Sowers and Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Theodore DeWeese confirmed the resignation in a letter this week.
In the letter, Sowers and DeWeese wrote, "She has been a valuable member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine leadership team, and, like many of you, we wanted her to stay in her role, but we respect her decision."
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, a former Johns Hopkins physician, had urged Hopkins to fire Dr. Golden.
"Her comments were quite bigoted, offended many people. And, I think it just shows Johns Hopkins is tone deaf to what their Chief Diversity Officer said," Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, said Thursday.
An online letter in support of Dr. Golden has nearly 700 names.
The letter from Hopkins employees and students calls the criticism against Dr. Golden "bad-faith attacks."
The letter argues "Discussions about privilege can be challenging. The word is misinterpreted or taken to mean that people who benefit from systems of advantage are immoral or unworthy."
In another letter of support of Dr. Golden Wednesday, the Black Faculty and Staff Association for Johns Hopkins wrote to leadership, in part, "(I)nstead of supporting Dr. Golden and offering context about Johns Hopkins' values and the hard histories from which they are drawn, the institution unjustly disavowed and repudiated her for the very work that she had been tasked to do."
Dr. Golden will stay in her role as a faculty member.
Johns Hopkins will "convene a search committee and conduct a thorough national search for the new head of (the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity)."