AHA strips Richard Dawkins of Humanist of the Year award after famed author criticizes transgenderism

Richard Dawkins, who is also a famed Atheist and author, invited his Twitter followers to engage in an open discussion criticizing transgenderism while mentioning the case of Rachel Dolezal—the infamous white woman who self-identified as black.

"In 2015, Rachel Dolezal, a white chapter president of the NAACP, was vilified for identifying as black. Some men choose to identify as women, and some women choose to identify as men. You will be vilified if you deny that they literally are what they identify as. Discuss," Dawkins wrote in a post early April.

The post by Dawkins created a firestrom of angry individuals on Twitter. Dawkins later caved to the mob and said he doesnt align with "Republican bigots."

"I do not intend to disparage trans people. I see that my academic 'Discuss' question has been misconstrued as such and I deplore this. It was also not my intent to ally in any way with Republican bigots in US now exploiting this issue," he wrote.

After the tweet, AHA revoked his award for "demeaning marginalized groups."

"Richard Dawkins was honored in 1996 by the AHA as Humanist of the Year for his significant contributions in this area," the American Humanist Association wrote in a statement. "Regrettably, Richard Dawkins has over the past several years accumulated a history of making statements that use the guise of scientific discourse to demean marginalized groups, an approach antithetical to humanist values."

"Richard Dawkins was honored in 1996 by the AHA as Humanist of the Year for his significant contributions in this area," the American Humanist Association wrote in a statement.

"Regrettably, Richard Dawkins has over the past several years accumulated a history of making statements that use the guise of scientific discourse to demean marginalized groups, an approach antithetical to humanist values," the Daily Wire reported.

"His latest statement implies that the identities of transgender individuals are fraudulent, while also simultaneously attacking Black identity as one that can be assumed when convenient. His subsequent attempts at clarification are inadequate and convey neither sensitivity nor sincerity," the statement said.

The statement concluded by saying that Dawkins "is no longer deserving of being honored by the AHA, and has voted to withdraw, effective immediately, the 1996 Humanist of the Year award."

The vice president of legal and policy at American Atheists, Alison Gill, encouraged Dawkins to "put time in to learn" about transgenderism and the ‘science’ behind it.

"The progress of science has helped us better understand who we are as trans people. As the American Psychological Association notes, ‘Many experts believe that biological factors such as genetic influences and prenatal hormone levels, early experiences, and experiences later in adolescence or adulthood may all contribute to the development of transgender identities,'" said Gill, as reported by Newsweek.

"We need science communicators like Richard Dawkins to put in the time to learn this information and then communicate it clearly and accurately to the public, not reinforce dangerous and harmful narratives put forward by the opponents of equality."

The Daily Wire reported that Dawkins agreed with Twitters decision to ban President Trump from their platform after the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol, said Trump incited violence although the courts acquitted the President of any wrongdoing the day of the attack.