Columbia University alum sues author and professor Sheena Iyengar for gender discrimination

The Columbia graduate first worked with the book author in 2017

A Columbia University graduate has filed a lawsuit against professor and author Sheena Iyengar for gender discrimination.

Elizabeth Blackwell first received a job offer from Iyengar in 2017 for a research position, which she thought would prepare her for graduate school, according to court documents obtained by Washington Square News. Iyengar, who is blind and rose to fame as an expert on decision making through her TED Talks, is a Professor of Business in the Management Division at Columbia Business School.

In the lawsuit, which was filed on 1 February 2022, Blackwell claimed that when she started her job, Iyengar gave many of her research responsibilities to a male worker instead of her since “she was a ‘woman’”.

The graduate also accused the professor of “disturbing gender-based discrimination behavior and retaliation”, after Iyengar allegedly assigned the male co-workers some of Blackwell’s duties.

Blackwell claims in the legal documents that she was given “personal and supportive” tasks, since they had been “better suited” for the “female gender”. WSN reported that some of these responsibilities included applying Iyengar’s makeup and booking the professor on dates at different restaurants, which Blackwell said was “extremely upsetting”.

The publication noted that when Blackwell confronted Iyengar about her job, the book author reportedly told her that she was “lucky” to have been hired. Iyengar also told the research associate that if she were a man, she “would have been out on [her] a** a long time ago”.

Per recorded conversations obtained by WSN, Iyengar told Columbia University that she was being harassed by Blackwell. The writer said that while she wanted to support Blackwell “at every step,” there was “no fit” between their interests. She also offered to write the Columbia graduate a letter of recommendation for her next position.

Additionally, Iyengar claimed that she was the one who was being discriminated by Blackwell at their workplace.

“If there was discrimination in this office, it was, it is, the discrimination that I felt as a blind professor who was being perpetually bullied by my employee and does not accommodate the very needs of this position,” she said.

Columbia University has launched an investigation into both Blackwell’s and Iyengar’s allegations. In January 2019, Blackwell’s contract with Columbia University was terminated due to lack of funding, even though her position was up until June of that year. To WSN, her attorney, David DeToffol, called her termination a “retaliatory” decision.

During an interview, Blackwell said that it has been difficult for her to find work since leaving Columbia. She also claimed that she’s been suffering from insomnia, depression, and anxiety, which first developed when she was working for Iyengar.

“These are stories that need to be told — stories that women need to share with each other,” she said.

She criticised the university, alleging that the institution disregarded most of her comments about the gender discrimination she was experiencing.

“It became very clear to me at that point that they weren’t willing to support me,” Blackwell said.

Studies have previously shown that gender descrimination in an ongoing issue in the workplace. According to data shared by the Pew Research Center in 2017, 42 per cent of working women in the United States said that they’ve been discriminated against at their jobs due to their gender.

The Independent has contacted Columbia University, a legal representative for Blackwell, and a representative for Iyengar for comment.