Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) claims that Christianity oppresses minority faiths because it has historically been the dominant religion in the U.S., according to the center’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) toolkit.
The center’s DEI Office says that the toolkit is supposed to give staff and students the resources to “build, dismantle, or fix” issues pertaining to DEI, according to the document. The toolkit also includes several references to different types of discrimination but singles out the Christian faith for the oppression of minority religions. (RELATED: GOP Congressman Calls Christian Bigoted For Expressing Her Faith)
“Religious Oppression: Refers to the systematic subordination of minority religions by the dominant Christian majority,” the toolkit reads. “This subordination is a product of the historical tradition of Christian hegemony and the unequal power relationships of minority religious groups with the Christian majority.”
Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s definition of “Religious Oppression”:
[T]he systematic subordination of minority religions by the dominant Christian majority. pic.twitter.com/uAbxbDugjr
— John Sailer (@JohnDSailer) August 30, 2023
Additionally, the toolkit lists a definition of “Whiteness,” which it claims was used as a substitute for the terms “Christian and Englishmen” during the 17th century to “distinguish European colonists from Africans and indigenous peoples.”
“The creation of ‘whiteness’ meant giving privileges to some, while denying them to others with the justification of biological and social inferiority,” the toolkit reads. “Whiteness itself refers to the specific dimensions of racism that serve to elevate white people over people of color. This definition counters the dominant representation of racism in mainstream education as isolated in discrete behaviors that some individuals may or may not demonstrate, and goes beyond naming specific privileges.”
The center, which is located in Nashville, Tennessee, explains that the toolkit is supposed to “move us from crisis to possibility” by “cultivating inclusive environments,” according to the document. VUMC explains that the hope is this information will help “navigate the journey towards embodying DEI and anti-racist practices within the Vanderbilt Health community.”
VUMC came under heavy scrutiny in September 2022 after it was discovered that the hospital was using “trans buddies” to enforce a child’s gender identity. The hospital was also offering cross sex hormones and sex-change surgeries to minors but later paused the procedures after backlash from legislators.
VUMC did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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