On Wednesday, Columbia University suspended its psychiatry department’s head after he tweeted racist comments about a dark-skinned model’s features, referring to them as a “freak of nature.”
Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman shared a photo of African model Nyakim Gatwech, writing: “Whether a work of art or freak of nature, she’s a beautiful sight to behold,” NBC New York reported.
The university said in a statement that Lieberman was suspended from his position as psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and department chair at Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Though his tweet was later deleted, Lieberman faced backlash from internet users who demanded his removal from the institution.
On Wednesday night, Gatwech sat down with the outlet and voiced her opinion about the hurtful comments regarding her appearance. “Coming from somebody with so much power, that was so disappointing. I was like, this is straight-up racism,” she said.
She addressed the issue by sharing the tweet on her Instagram, writing, “It’s time I address a rumor ONCE and for all. I have no idea where it originated,” Gatwech wrote in the caption.
View this post on Instagram
Lieberman’s remarks were based on claims that the South Sudanese model set a Guinness World Records title for having the darkest skin. However, she said those rumors were untrue.
“My manager first brought it to my attention in 2020, and although we’ve denied it to multiple fact-checkers, clearly it’s still floating around even after @guinnessworldrecords stated that it does NOT monitor skin tones. I can’t imagine it’s even possible to know who’s the lightest or darkest person on the planet!” she said.
“I love my dark skin and my nickname ‘Queen of Dark,’ but I’ve never said I’m the darkest person on earth,” she said.
Lieberman apologized to his colleagues in an email, calling his statements “racist and sexist” and saying he was “deeply ashamed,” per NBC New York.
“An apology from me to the Black community, to women, and to all of you is not enough,” the email read. “I’ve hurt many, and I am beginning to understand the work ahead to make needed personal changes and, over time, regain your trust.”
His Twitter account was no longer available after he made the racist comments.
The 25-year-old model has gained recognition for her melanated skin tone, raking in $4 million from endorsements and brand ambassador deals with retail chains such as Fashion Nova, Sis2Sis reported.
Gatwech was born in Ethiopia and moved to different places with her family as refugees fleeing war. They eventually immigrated to the United States and settled in Buffalo, New York.
