(Don't) Be like Mike
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A resurfaced blackface photo wasn’t enough to get Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam fired, but a medical researcher was forced out of her senior vice president position last month after dressing up as Michael Jackson for Halloween in 2009.
Dr. Julie Overbaugh was an award-winning senior vice president at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (“Fred Hutch”) and a faculty member at the University of Washington Medical Center. She’s known for her research on HIV in Kenya. But her career is being ruined over a costume.
Nearly 13 years ago, Overbaugh attended the party at a lab at Fred Hutch. The theme of the party was Jackson’s album “Thriller.” But after a photo of her costume was anonymously emailed to senior leadership at the University of Washington, UW Medicine, and Fred Hutch, she’s been forced to undergo “an intensive education process.”
The photo immediately triggered an internal investigation at Fred Hutch, where she was placed on administrative leave.
Fred Hutch released a statement labeling the costume “racist.” The institution offered “our sincere apologies to anyone who has experienced pain or upset because of the act or this photo.”
Though the incident didn’t occur at UW Medicine, its CEO and equity officer also waded into the faux controversy. UW Medicine CEO Dr. Paul Ramsey and Chief Equity Officer Paula Houston notified UW Medicine staff in an email that Overbaugh was punished for engaging in the “racist, dehumanizing, and abhorrent act” of “blackface.” During a separate formal review process for UW faculty, the email confirmed, Overbaugh resigned from her UW affiliate faculty member appointment.
Overbaugh released a short statement to me. “I did not know the association of this with blackface at the time, in 2009, but understand the offense that is associated with this now,” she said. “I have apologized for this both publicly and privately and beyond that have no other comments.”
Ramsey and Houston claim that the UW Medicine community was “harmed” by the 13-year-old photo that most staff didn’t know existed until reading about it in the Feb. 25 email. “We acknowledge that our community has been harmed by this incident and the fact that 13 years elapsed before action was taken,” they wrote. “We are convening a series of affinity group meetings in the next few weeks to provide spaces for mutual support, reflection, and response.”
Neither Ramsey nor Houston explained how the photo “harmed” anyone. Indeed, beyond one confirmed complaint, it’s unclear if anyone even cared about the old photo.
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What's worse... I can't find the photo anywhere, at least not after looking for a minute. So it's the "thought" of the photo that is canceling her?
BTW - in 2008 I dressed up like Obama for Halloween. I wore a suit and one of those presidential masks you can buy at a Halloween store. Maybe because Obama is half-white that it was ok?
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More stupidity.
I saw a podcast over the weekend with British comedian Jimmy Carr and Jordan Peterson, where they noted that unlike with the older religions, there's no room for redemption or forgiveness with this latest group of book-burners.
Proud supporter of Plan 2525. Everything you think, do and say will be in the pill you took today.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in (Don't) Be like Mike:
More stupidity.
I saw a podcast over the weekend with British comedian Jimmy Carr and Jordan Peterson, where they noted that unlike with the older religions, there's no room for redemption or forgiveness with this latest group of book-burners.
Convert or die.
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Not that any forgiveness should be needed for dressing up like Michael Jackson at Halloween, FFS.
Honestly, what the hell is wrong with people?
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I agree. Really stupid stuff!!
