Dear ASHA Leadership:

On Wednesday, December 15th 2021, Dr. Ianessa Humbert was made aware of an ASHA Ethics Complaint brought against her because of an Instagram page she has called @gulp.group.

Surely we don’t need to tell you that your own Code of Ethics (Principle IV, Rule M) stipulates that “Individuals with evidence that the Code of Ethics may have been violated have the responsibility to work collaboratively to resolve the situation where possible or to inform the Board of Ethics through its established procedures.”

It is very clear that, in choosing to investigate the legitimacy of this bogus complaint, you did not extend due process to Dr. Humbert by requiring that the individuals filing against her bring their concerns to her attention directly.

As you surely know by now, Ms. Sonies’ and Mr. Rao’s behavior is actually unethical and borders on unlawful defamation of character and slander of a highly knowledgeable, respected, acclaimed, unapologetically Black professional.

Following your own history of clearly biased decision-making, we the undersigned demand:

A. A public Q&A session with your Board of Ethics Committee

B. A detailed investigation into why information related to this confidential matter was made available to ASHA staff members before it was made public by the defendant

C. An immediate end to this investigative process

D. A public statement acknowledging that, while the topic of swallowing as it relates to sex might be taboo for some people, this type of education helps promote and facilitate the same body autonomy that many SLPs advocate for in other ways, both professionally and personally.

E. A formal apology to Dr. Humbert.