Is DEI Really that Radical?

DEI work is under attack, most clearly in the USA, with critics getting louder and louder following Trump's re-election. Mark Zuckerberg has had Meta roll back DEI initiatives, and called for more"masculine energy" in the business world, whatever that is. Amazon and others too are pulling out of DEI work, removing policies from its website that state their allyship with Black employees. The Ford Motor Company has also announced they are ending their DEI programmes.

Meta has deliberately removed all sanitary products from men's bathrooms, this is something that is being done to target trans men, there is no other reason for it. Why are trans people so scary to some?

Vice President Kamala Harris was criticised by Republicans as being "just a DEI hire", a sneering insult they also used against some of the leadership of the LA firefighters. Using DEI as a pretext to attack people involved in defending LA from wildfires is pretty low.

Right wing groups started a campaign to get Costco to stop its work in this area too, directly going for Board members. But Costco resisted, and said they stood by their DEI work for good business reasons. And if you have worked in this field, you know the business case for DEI work is strong.

This move is coming from the far right of politics, a far right that is now in power in a number of countries. This should concern us, both as DEI practioners and as human beings.

Even here in Aotearoa New Zealand last year ACT leader David Seymour criticised the Treasury for advertising for a D&I manager, saying it was not their core business. With his lack of experience in the workforce let alone in central banking it's hard to know what basis he makes his argument on.

DEI is actually good for capitalism, that's thing I find so bizarre. We know from data that organisations with great inclusive cultures retain staff better, attract high quality people, and happy staff are more productive.

So why does these Far Right parties seem to fear us so much?

We do aim for change, that's true, trying to make sure that those who have intentionally or otherwise been left out of the tent get to come inside. This threatens people who are used to being in power, and only seeing people like themselves in power. They think this is normal and natural, and find the change unsettling. They are so worried about losing out, they don't see the advantages coming their way from a richer and more diverse world.

There is also something nasty and bullying about these reactions. And bullies need to be opposed whenever they show themselves.

Hemingway wrote "Fascism is a lie told by bullies". Working in this field means we need to stand for the truth, and stand up to the bullies who are making themselves known. #DEI #Diversity #Inclusion