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Jeffrey Lieberman: Top Columbia prof suspended for calling Black model 'freak of nature'

Jeffrey Lieberman, Director of Columbia University's Psychiatry Department, has been suspended calling a dark-skinned model a 'freak of nature'

Jeffrey Lieberman, Director of Columbia University's Psychiatry Department, has been suspended after he tweeted a photo of a dark-skinned model and made a racial remark about her skin tone, calling her a "freak of nature". “Whether a work of art or freak of nature she’s a beautiful sight to behold," Jeffrey Lieberman wrote in a tweet about model Nyakim Gatwech, who is of South Sudanese origin. According to an email sent to Columbia faculty and staff, he was suspended as psychiatry department chair at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and also removed as psychiatrist-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

His message, which was subsequently deleted along with his Twitter account, after drawing immediate criticism, with several Twitter users asking that he be fired. One Twitter user wrote, “@DrJlieberman  is the CHAIR of @ColumbiaPsych and said this. And before I hear all the “he apologized” “cancel culture “ bullshit, let’s be clear. What does it mean for the chair leading psychiatry at a top institution to be comfortable referring to someone having any.” Another added, “@DrJlieberman has deleted the Tweet. This is 2022. It is unfathomable that a department chair at a leading institution could be so openly racist or casually cruel or both. @Columbia come to get your senior leader & talk about respect.” “👀 “Freak of nature”? Careful Chair of Psychiatry at Columbia, your *implicit bias* is showing,” yet another person remarked. 

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Meanwhile, Gatwech also criticized his remarks as "straight-up racism". She wrote on her Instagram, “it’s time I address a rumor ONCE and for all. I have no idea where it originated, but 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!”

“Unfortunately, I believe this has been impacting my @instagram account negatively. I have worked really hard to build my page and use it as a platform to promote self-acceptance, body positivity, and of course, my brand partnerships, but it’s about self-love above anything else. I don’t buy followers, and to those who believe otherwise, I do not need to manufacture lies for likes. It’s not my style. I love my dark skin and my nickname “Queen of Dark,” but I’ve never said I’m the darkest person on earth,” Gatwech remarked. 

According to the New York Times, in an email to his colleagues, Lieberman apologized for his tweet, calling it "racist and sexist" and adding that he was "deeply ashamed".  The email stated, “An apology from me to the Black community, to women, and to all of you is not enough. I’ve hurt many, and I am beginning to understand the work ahead to make needed personal changes and over time regain your trust.”