Institutional Sexism and Racism at Barnard College

Take a look at institutional racism and sexism at Barnard.

“Submissions are open from June 1, 2022, to August 22, 2022.

Guidelines and Requirements:

• Films must have a woman (girl) or women character(s) in leadership role(s) or position(s). Projects from all genres are accepted, and stories about women from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural groups;

• Filmmakers of all genders are welcome to apply;

• Only short films can be submitted (30 minutes or less in length);

• Non-English films must be subtitled;

• Films that don’t focus on women’s leadership WILL NOT be considered;

• Premiere status is not required;

Please note: We charge a $14.00 submission fee. Submission fees are non-refundable. 

In recognition of the extra barriers BIWOC artists face in the film industry, we are offering submission fee waivers to films written, directed, or produced by BIWOC artists.

We are also offering submission fee waivers to films that have suffered financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please fill out this form to request a BIWOC artist submission fee waiver.

Please fill out this form to request a COVID-19 submission fee waiver.

If you have a feature-length film that you would like to submit to the festival, please email Athenafilmfestival@gmail.com with the title of your film, a full synopsis, and how it fits our criteria.”

2023 Athena Film Festival Short Film Submissions - Athena Film Festival

Barnard is a college for those who lives as a woman, whatever that means.

However, in film festival programs like this, by law they cannot discriminate by sex or race.  Anyone can apply and potentially anyone can have their film selected.  However, only Black and Indigenous Women of Color get to submit their short films for free.  Everyone else has to pay.  This is the definition of institutional sexism and racism.  They allow people diagnosed with Covid-19 submit for free but ignore all other illnesses. This is disability discrimination and a violation of the ADA.

But the Athena Center at Barnard College has more programs that break the law.  It should be made clear that Barnard College is a part of the Columbia University community, for greater context.

“The Athena Center for Leadership is a hub for changemakers at Barnard College and entrepreneurship is one of the many powerful ways to lead change that students can explore and practice here.

We envision a world where women and non-binary entrepreneurs have the confidence, support, and resources they need to build sustainable, equitable, and socially responsible businesses — and we welcome Barnard and Columbia women and non-binary entrepreneurs at any stage in their journey.”

Athena Entrepreneurs | Athena Center for Leadership (barnard.edu)

Not all of Barnard’s students are women.  They have transgender students, and they do have dentransitioners.  This particular program is open to Columbia College students, which is coed.  Yet the Athena Center illegally discriminates against male students by denying them entry to the program.  Per Title IX, they cannot discriminate on the basis of sex on students already admitted.

Who is eligible for entry into the Athena incubator?

“Women and nonbinary student entrepreneurs in the Barnard and Columbia communities ready to take their venture to the next level.”

Athena Incubator | Athena Center for Leadership (barnard.edu)

The Athena Center illegally discriminates against male, whether transgendered or cisgendered, Barnard and Columbia students by not letting them be eligible for entry into the Athena incubator.

“The Intrapreneurial Leadership Fellows Program is a unique opportunity for women service members and veterans at Columbia School of General Studies and Barnard students to connect across personal and professional experiences and develop the skills, confidence, and relationships you need to lead change in your post-undergraduate lives.”

Intrapreneurial Leadership Fellows Program | Athena Center for Leadership (barnard.edu)

So, in a program that is meant to benefit veterans from the Columbia University community, Barnard College illegally discriminates against male veterans, at a time when we could potentially enter war with Russia or China.  This is absurd and this is outrageous.

Why would this happen?  It is because Barnard is no longer a women’s college.  As a historically women’s college, it now admits those who live as women.  Gender ideology has taken over Barnard College, which is why some of the above programs take in only women and non-binary students.

Barnard was able not to admit men for so long because Title IX gave private colleges the right to discriminate on the basis of sex in admission because in 1972, when Title IX was passed, they didn’t want to kill of women’s colleges which had graduated women for more than a century when men’s colleges wouldn’t accept women.  However, that exemption was not intended for women’s colleges to become gender minority colleges and discriminate against cisgendered men. And programs such as their film festival fall under public accommodations law in New York. They therefore cannot have these programs for women and lgbtq people and discriminate against straight and masculine gay men. It is why the Athena Film Festival has already opened up most of its programs to men, and the advertise them as for all genders.

I should note the Athena Film Festival wasn’t admitting any men until I made a complaint to the New York Human Rights Division on the sex discrimination.  My masters is from Columbia University (Teachers College) and had this festival accepted men when I was a student at Columbia, I would have sent in one of my screenplays.  So, I filed a complaint and NYSDHR is investigating.  Already Barnard opened up most of the programs at the Athena Film Festival to men, and they opened the post baccalaureate program to men, as required by the law.  To be fair I contacted the Title IX office at Barnard about the free fee for Black women and everyone else having to pay, as well as the remaining discriminatory programs at the Athena Center.  The Title IX office said they would look into the matter.

I have been exposing reverse discrimination, critical race theory, and gender ideology since March 29, 2022.  To help support the fight, please consider upgrading to paid subscriber or donating to my PayPalMe.  Thank you.