Official NIH announcements or government statements

NIH Faces Criticism for Removing Biologist Colin Wright from Sex and Gender Symposium

Jul 17, 2024, 07:05 PM

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (genome_gov) have come under scrutiny for their handling of a public event titled 'Exploring the many dimensions of sex and gender in the genomics era.' Evolutionary biologist Colin Wright, known for his views on the binary nature of sex, was removed from the symposium webcast. Wright, who had registered in advance and was quietly attending, was initially kicked out about 20 minutes into Dr. Tucker's presentation. Despite being allowed back in, he was promptly removed again for asking specific questions about the biology of sex. The incident has sparked criticism, with some calling for reprimands for those responsible for Wright's removal, arguing that it is unacceptable to eject a non-disruptive citizen from a public webinar. The symposium is a multi-day event bringing together experts from biological and social sciences.