Olympics champion Gabby Thomas has recently faced questions over the credibility of her Harvard Degree, bringing to the fore the sad realities that minorities in the US have to deal with.
Over the last few days, American track queen Gabby Thomas has had to answer back at critics who questioned her intellectual capacity.
Thomas found herself responding to a hater who claimed she is not intelligent enough, having reminded him that she would not have graduated from Harvard University if she was not poor in class.
However, that response opened a can of worms as fans sought to discredit her, claiming getting an admission at Harvard is not the true measure of intelligence, as she could have earned her place at the prestigious institution because she is black.
This was in reference to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program which gives some exemptions to some special groups in the US.
Those comments made the three-time Olympics champion sad, feeling surprised that even now, there are people who still think her academic success is down to the color of her skin and not brains.
Olympics champion Gabby Thomas has had to unleash another of her subtle comebacks after firing back at a hater who questioned whether she is intelligent enough.
“Today, on Jan 26, 2025, there are hundreds of people commenting on my Twitter page that specifically because I am black, they must assume I did not earn my admission into Harvard nor did I earn my diploma. Is this real life??” she posed on X on Sunday.
Thomas has not stopped there, doubling down on her criticism of the American society that is quick to judge and discredit others’ achievements.
“In the past week I have been called a n***** for saying a black joke wasn’t funny and accused of my Harvard degree being DEI,” Thomas posted on TikTok, adding: “I know it’s a loud minority but lol.”
Thomas’ predicament has exposed the racial divides that exist in the US, where certain minority communities still struggle to fit in, and have to deal with constant questions if they are successful in their professional fields.
It is the reason the DEI program was put in place through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to check things like discrimination in employment based on race, religion, sex, color and origin.
As per TIME, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs can take many forms, but they generally describe efforts to increase access to and remove barriers from things like higher education and jobs for those from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, races and genders.
The DEI program is currently a hot topic in the US after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at scraping it off just after taking office last week.
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Gabby Thomas has been involved in a recent online spat about her academic qualifications.
