My Lifetime Ban by the American College of Surgeons Enters its Fourth Year
The American College of Surgeons continues to gaslight members, dissembles regarding its DEI initiatives, and violates member’s civil rights
It is time for my ban to end and for the ACS general membership to seek new leadership to restore the College to its stated mission “To Heal All With Skill and Fidelity."
Freedom of speech is a cherished and fundamental right of American citizens under the Constitution. With the exception of carefully spelled out exclusions, such as inciting violence, citizens may not have their right to speak freely abridged. This includes speech some might find hateful or repugnant. In fact, freedom to speak in such instances is considered crucial to a free democracy.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Title VI of the Act further specifies that organizations and institutions that receive federal funding must abide by the provisions of the Civil Rights Act or risk either termination of funding or even prosecution. This includes private organizations that receive such funding.
It is important to note that the Civil Rights Act does not distinguish between one form of racial discrimination and another. Specifically, any form of discrimination based on race is prohibited. This is relevant to the adoption of antiracism by many private institutions and organizations. Antiracism, as described by its originator, Ibram X. Kendi, is intended to right historic wrongs done to minorities, especially blacks. Kendi has explicitly stated in his book, How to Be an Antiracist, that the answer to discrimination is reverse discrimination. This particular point has spawned the ideological practice and industry of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI.
Those who subscribe to this ideology attribute all disparities among identity groups, whether in income, employment, representation, or outcomes to discrimination and deliberately take steps to correct this by reverse discrimination. The two favored identity groups for such discrimination are white men and Asians, who are regarded as overrepresented, privileged oppressors of minorities, especially in professional fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The steps taken include lowering standards in these fields and pre-selecting individuals for inclusion based on immutable characteristics over objective qualifications.
In November 2020, the leadership of the American College of Surgeons declared that the ACS was structurally racist, based on disparities in the representation of minorities in the College. It took deliberate steps to install antiracism as a value of the College and DEI initiatives to implement this. Fellows of the College who questioned the wisdom of this and advocated for discussion and debate of this controversial issue were gaslighted and silenced, as I was on April 17, 2022. My ability to engage with fellow surgeons was completely and permanently blocked. In addition, I was denied access to the member’s directory and my own private mailbox. This punishment was done in violation of the ACS’s own bylaws and rules for disciplining Fellows of the College and was clearly intended to silence and isolate me from my surgical colleagues.
The ACS receives federal funding from the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs in the form of grants and contracts. In 2022 and 2023, these totaled over $10 million. The ACS is therefore subject to the provisions for abiding by the First Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
On April 17, 2022, I was banned for life by the ACS leadership because I objected to its embrace of antiracism and DEI and refused to be silenced. They were able to do this because I am, according to them, a “white, heteronormative, male,” and thus a member of a disfavored identity group. I submit that, if I had been a member of a minority, such as a black female, I would never have been silenced in this fashion. My lifetime ban was put into place by and with the approval of the General Secretary, Dr. Tyler Hughes; Executive Director, Dr. Patricia Turner; the Board of Regents; and abetted by the dereliction of duty of the Head of the Central Judiciary Committee, Dr. Douglas Wood who allowed the bylaws of the ACS to be flagrantly violated.
According to Hughes, my ban was for “continuous disrespectful language and placement of non-clinical posts in the General Surgery community.” The latter is the online discussion forum for ACS Fellows. I have repeatedly requested to be shown examples of either transgression and been rebuffed.
Three years of total silencing and isolation are more than sufficient for such alleged “transgressions.” Despite the growing repudiation of antiracism and DEI, the ACS continues to promote this toxic, divisive ideology, which arguably distracts the College from its primary mission to promote excellence in surgery and deal with real problems facing surgical practice that have nothing to do with race or racism. It is time for my ban to end and for the ACS general membership to seek new leadership to restore the College to its stated mission “To Heal All With Skill and Fidelity."
Richard T. Bosshardt, MD, FACS
Dr. Bosshardt is a plastic surgeon, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Senior Fellow of Do No Harm, and a Founding Fellow of FAIR in Medicine.
My book, The Making of a Plastic Surgeon- Two Years in the Crucible Learning the Art and Science, is available on eBook and paperback. For anyone curious about this fascinating and misunderstood specialty, it offers a unique glimpse into my world
DEI is a racist movement. It is designed to damage and seek revenge against white people. Thanks for your courage in standing up against racism.
Dr. Bosshardt,
I want to extend my personal support and respect for your principled stance in the face of professional ostracism. Your account reflects a troubling trend in American institutions, where legitimate concerns and dissenting views are often met not with dialogue but with punitive silence. This not only undermines collegial discourse but also erodes the foundational values that make our civil society strong—chief among them, freedom of speech and equal protection under the law.
Federal guidance is clear: under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, any organization receiving federal funds must not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the Department of Justice have both clarified that racially discriminatory practices—even if intended to achieve “equity” or “social justice”—are still unlawful if they result in adverse treatment based on race.
Moreover, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has affirmed that applying different standards to individuals based on their identity group—whether to disadvantage or favor—is inconsistent with federal civil rights protections.
Your exclusion from professional platforms and communications, particularly in an organization funded by taxpayer dollars and committed to medical excellence, raises serious concerns. If your identity as a “white, heteronormative male” was cited as justification for disciplinary action, this may constitute a prima facie violation of Title VI and the ACS’s own ethical obligations.
What you are enduring is not merely a personal affront—it is a case study in how the erosion of constitutional norms and lawful protections can infiltrate even the most respected institutions.
You are not alone in this fight. Many Americans—physicians, veterans, scholars, and citizens—recognize the danger of compelled ideological conformity and the suppression of open debate. Your courage invites others to reclaim truth, fairness, and professional integrity.
Semper Fidelis,
Hank
Henry R Salmans III
USMC (Retired)
Duvall v. Novant Health (North Carolina, 2021–2024)
David Duvall, a white male senior executive, alleged he was terminated to meet diversity targets, replaced by a white woman and a Black woman. A federal jury awarded him $10 million in punitive damages. Although this was later reduced due to statutory caps, he received over $4 million in back pay, front pay, and other damages.
Bonenberger v. St. Louis Police Department
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Herrera v. New York City Department of Education (2024)
Three white female executives claimed they were demoted and replaced by less qualified individuals of color as part of DEI initiatives. The City settled the case for $2.1 million.