A new lawsuit has been filed against the American Association of University Women, alleging that its fellowship program is discriminatory and illegal.
A new lawsuit has been filed against the American Association of University Women (AAUW) by the organization Do No Harm alleging that the AAUW's "Selected Professions Fellowships" program is discriminatory and illegal.
The AAUW program offers $20,000 and networking opportunities to women pursuing certain degrees, but the organization has designated certain fellowships as restricted to women of color. The program is open only to women from ethnic minority groups, including Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Do No Harm, a nonprofit organization that says its aim is to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats, is filing the lawsuit on behalf of its medical student members who meet the criteria for the fellowship but are ineligible to apply due to their race.
"'Racial discrimination is invidious in all contexts.' Healthcare especially," the lawsuit states, citing a recent Supreme Court opinion in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
That case, decided last summer, outlawed discriminatory practices in higher education admissions – a practice known as affirmative action. While that case dealt with American colleges, legal experts have said it would change the legal liability landscape beyond campuses and change the way other corporations and businesses pursue diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
"Yet, through its Selected Professions Fellowships (for the Focus Professions Group), AAUW is contracting only with certain racial groups. Medical students who are white—like Do No Harm’s members…are not eligible," the suit states.
"AAUW should know how invidious it is to discriminate based on immutable characteristics. AAUW was founded in 1881 to 'open the doors for women’s career advancement and to encourage more women to pursue higher education,'" the suit notes.
"We must keep identity politics out of medical education, whether that be in the classroom or in medical fellowship programs," said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chairman of Do No Harm. "Every patient deserves access to the best possible care. Yet, ideologically driven fellowships such as those offered by the American Association of University Women, do not improve care. Medical fellowships should be awarded to students because of merit, not race."
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The lawsuit claims that the AAUW's program violates the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which requires racial equality in making and enforcing contracts.
The AAUW's program, the lawsuit argues, is discriminatory and illegal.
"There is no compelling interest that justifies categorically excluding white applicants based on their race. Nor is AAUW’s program narrowly tailored to achieve that compelling interest. A categorical exclusion of an entire racial group is, by definition, not narrowly tailored," the suit alleges.
"The American Association of University Women should be ashamed of their archaic and illegal practice of discrimination based on race, said Kristina Rasmussen, executive director of Do No Harm. "As a women-led organization they should be lifting up all women. The AAUW should reverse course and open their fellowships and other opportunities to all women."
AAUW did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
