Spurred by a discrimination lawsuit, students of New York City-based Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine are calling on the board to denounce misogyny and discrimination by becoming a signatory of Time's Up Healthcare.
Time's Up Healthcare is a branch of the Time's Up movement, launched to combat sexual harassment and inequity in the workplace. The lawsuit was filed April 26 by eight current and former employees of Mount Sinai's global health institute. It alleges the institute's leadership was discriminatory toward certain employees, predominantly female employees over age 40, and other officials exhibited similar behavior without repercussions.
Mount Sinai medical students were compelled by this lawsuit to take action, Forbes reported. One student from the class of 2019, Hazel Lever, MD, penned a letter to the Mount Sinai board of trustees that as of this writing has more than 300 signatures.
"Misogyny, discrimination, and bullying are never acceptable in interpersonal and professional settings," the letter opens. It calls on the board to be more transparent in its investigation of the lawsuit's claims, to take action to correct the issues and create a culture "where misogyny, discrimination, and bullying are unacceptable."
"We are outraged by their mistreatment and the culture of abuse that has flourished at Mount Sinai. We believe in the work these women have dedicated themselves to in the pursuit of health and human rights in our own communities and around the world. More broadly, we believe in and trust women," the letter reads.
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