DEI programs are vital to our country, yet Trump continues his efforts to tear them down.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump started striking down Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which he claims are radical, wasteful and discriminatory. Trump issued executive orders to “ban DEI policies in programs that receive federal money.” DEI programs are the result of hard fought societal reforms, and as such we must recognize their importance.
DEI originated during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, demanding equal treatment for all races, genders, sexual orientations and backgrounds in education and workplaces. Today, DEI initiatives have become prevalent in America, focusing on preventing discriminatory policies. According to experts, this includes “accessibility measures for people with disabilities, addressing gender pay inequity, expanding recruitment practices among underrepresented demographics, [and] holding anti-discrimination trainings.”
Critics of these programs label DEI initiatives as discriminatory towards white men, and claim that they promote the idea that jobs, school acceptances and promotions should be merit based. Ironically, President Trump does not seem to value the experience of his advisors. Elon Musk, the co-founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has no prior experience working in government, but now leads the Department of Government Efficiency. In this role, Musk is “gaining access to sensitive databases and dismantling a leading source of humanitarian assistance,” despite never being elected by the people or undergoing the Senate confirmation process.
Musk and Trump have promoted the idea that DEI is “anti-white,” Musk said it’s “another word for racism.” Trump echoed during his presidential campaign as he claimed there was “a definite anti-white feeling in this country.” These claims are false, DEI initiatives serve to provide fair treatment and equal opportunities to people of all backgrounds, and allow workplaces and schools to reflect the communities they serve. DEI initiatives also include women, veterans, elderly and disabled people. White women have been able to take advantage of programs that allow them to be considered for more leadership roles, decrease the pay gap and provide paid parental leave.
Due to Trump’s executive orders, federal employees have lost their resource groups and jobs. Furthermore, big companies such as Target, Google, Facebook, Walmart, McDonald’s and Amazon are cutting their DEI programs. Obviously, some companies have established these practices performatively. However, the threat of being sued and contracts with the government are huge factors in the decision to withdraw from these programs. For instance, on Jan. 31 shareholders rallied together to sue Target for misusing investor funds for “political and social goals.”
Some companies, including Delta Airlines, Logitech, Costco, Apple and the NFL, are refusing to abolish their DEI programs. Some companies and universities are standing by their DEI initiatives, just changing their program names. Northeastern University has changed the name of “The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” to “Belonging in Northeastern,” affirming the importance of diversity in their school.
Although President Trump aims to target people of various races, genders and sexualities, his actions will hurt us all. It’s important to remember that DEI efforts also extend to those of different socioeconomic status, languages, cultures, national origins, religions, ages, disabilities and political perspectives.
It’s terrifying to think of future programs that President Trump will try to dismantle in order to take away opportunities for disadvantaged communities. It’s frustrating that the person who is leading a country known for being culturally diverse is representing it as non-inclusive and restrictive.
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia McCrackin, Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo, Opinion Editor: Dakota Duran, Scene Editor: Elina Graham
