The CEO of Hims & Hers, a telehealth pharmaceutical company, has issued a new statement on the campus protests happening across the country, after its initial support for them caused the company’s stocks to plummet.
Andrew Dudum had initially encouraged protesters on campus to continue their protests, stating that many companies are “eager to hire you” and included a link to apply at his company. The post sparked controversy online, with Hims & Hers’s stock going down by a noticeable amount from over $13.12 per share on Wednesday to $11.35 per share by Sunday evening.
Dudum said on social media that the past several days had been “a disheartening reflection” on how divisive the current landscape is and clarified how he had not been condoning antisemitism or acts of violence occurring at the protests.
“Every student deserves to feel safe without fear of harm or being targeted for who they are,” Dudum wrote on X. “I am deeply saddened that my support for peaceful protest has been interpreted by some as encouraging violence, intimidation, or bigotry of any kind.”
Dudum also reiterated his support for those demonstrating “in peaceful protest,” stressing how free speech is important in the United States. He added that there is more justice in the present times due to how students in the past “used their voices to force change.”
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His support for the protesters on college campuses was in stark contrast to statements made by other billionaires and CEOs, including Bill Ackman, who criticized Rutgers University for conceding to multiple demands from its protesters. Ackman warned that schools rewarding protesters who break the rules will only get more protests in the future, along with “more extreme rule violations.”
The protests happening across multiple college campuses have resulted in several universities canceling their commencement ceremonies, with Columbia University being the latest school to make this decision.
