DEI in Focus: Understanding History, Backlash, and Policy Implications
Exploring the roots of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, its role in society, and the recent challenges to its future.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs gained prominence in the 2010s, aiming to provide representation for everyone, with a focus on marginalized groups. Diversity refers to representation in the workforce, encompassing racial and ethnic diversity, gender diversity, physical ability, and neurodiversity. Equity involves ensuring fair treatment while considering individual experiences. Inclusion fosters a culture where all voices are heard and avoids making people feel "othered" in the workplace.
In the 2020s, DEI initiatives have faced significant backlash. Major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Amazon, have scaled back or eliminated their diversity policies. Former President Donald Trump has been a vocal opponent of DEI programs, signing executive orders that rolled back decades of government diversity policies. These actions underscore the growing opposition to DEI initiatives.
Historical Context of DEI
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts originated from affirmative action—government-mandated or approved programs designed to provide additional opportunities to marginalized groups, including racial and ethnic minorities and women.
Affirmative action was first introduced in 1961 through Executive Order 10925, signed by President John F. Kennedy. The order required government contractors to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.”
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, which mandated government agencies to hire individuals “without regard to race, religion, and national origin” and to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark piece of legislation, outlawed discrimination based on race, religion, sex, and national origin. In 2020, its protections were expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
By 2003, corporations were spending $8 billion annually on diversity initiatives. The rise of movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter during the 2010s, along with Donald Trump’s presidency beginning in 2017, contributed to a surge in DEI efforts. A 2019 report from Time noted that the DEI industry had “exploded” in size, with 63% of diversity professionals having been hired or promoted to their roles since 2016.
The Backlash: Understanding the Opposition
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies have faced growing backlash since the killing of George Floyd in 2020, which led to the widespread adoption of DEI initiatives across educational, corporate, and federal spaces.
Many researchers point to Donald Trump’s presidency and the influence of Elon Musk, who led the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk supported Trump’s efforts to revoke DEI policies, including shutting down the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council.
“It is important to note that it’s not just about President Trump being against DEI—presidents are allowed to have their opinions. It is that he is a president with a well-documented history of vindictiveness. He creates a sense of fear and the feeling that, whether we want to or not, we better fall in line. I don’t believe that such large, prominent companies would be making these announcements in such a public way if Trump was not president,” said Naomi Wheeless, a DEI advocate specializing in race and gender issues, in a Fox Business interview.
Wheeless also highlighted how Trump’s vocal opposition to DEI gained momentum during the 2024 election campaign, amplifying anti-DEI sentiment.
The acronym DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—has sparked internal disagreements within companies over what to prioritize, making the initiative an easier target for critics. For example, the Society for Human Resource Management faced controversy when it encouraged HR executives to deprioritize “equity,” deeming it a confusing concept. Instead, “diversity” and “inclusion” were given greater focus.
Backlash against addressing race and ethnicity extends beyond DEI initiatives. The teaching of critical race theory (CRT), an academic concept that explores the intersections of systemic racism and legal systems, has been a contentious issue. In Florida, African American studies courses have been banned in K-12 schools, and more than 18 states have passed legislation overturning anti-bias training. Opponents argue that schools place excessive focus on America’s darkest historical chapters.
“At their best, diversity programs should remind us that everyone deserves to be treated equally and with respect, no matter who they are. Unfortunately, the trend over the last few years across so many American institutions has been to make DEI programs into political commissars, to go after people with different viewpoints, and they end up, in many ways, sowing more division in the institutions they’re supposed to help,” said author and psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert in a Fox News interview.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration defended the banning of African American studies, labeling the course as “indoctrination.”
“As submitted, the course is a vehicle for a political agenda and leaves large, ambiguous gaps that can be filled with additional ideological material, which we will not allow. As Governor DeSantis has stated, our classrooms will be a place for education, not indoctrination,” said Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’s press secretary.
The 2023 Supreme Court cases Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina resulted in a landmark decision that race-based affirmative action in college admissions violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This decision effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions.
Studies have shown that since the ruling, enrollment of Black and Latino students has dropped. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Class of 2028 saw a 15% decline in Black and Latino students. Amherst College experienced an 8% drop in Black enrollment, while Tufts University saw a 3% decrease. Yale University’s Black student population remained steady at 14%, and Latino enrollment increased by 1%, but the number of Asian students fell by 6%.
A Fox News poll found that 45% of voters believed it was either “extremely” or “very important” for Trump to end DEI programs, while 18% said it was “somewhat important.”
Policy Changes and DEI Under Fire
President Trump has signed a series of executive orders since his inauguration targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and affirmative action policies, including repealing Executive Order 11246. Originally signed in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the order aimed to end discrimination in the hiring and employment practices of U.S. government contractors.
The president also ordered all federal DEI staff to be placed on paid leave, with plans to eventually lay them off. This move aligns with his campaign promise to eliminate all DEI programs within the federal government.
Following Trump’s directives, federal agencies have begun removing resources for marginalized groups from their websites. Pages taken down include resources for LGBTQ+ students and guidance related to anti-racism practices in artificial intelligence and civil rights laws.
“Conservatives would say it is wrong to target someone based on their race, but that is exactly what Trump is doing,” said Dorothy Brown, a Georgetown law professor who served on the Biden administration’s inaugural Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, in an interview with the Associated Press.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo providing guidance on enforcing Trump’s executive orders. The memo stated, “We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language,” and encouraged federal employees to report any programs enforcing DEI policies to the OPM.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued guidelines to U.S. embassies and consulates instituting a “one-flag policy.” The policy prohibits embassies from flying LGBTQ+ pride flags and Black Lives Matter flags, allowing only the American flag and flags honoring prisoners of war or those wrongfully detained.
The Future of DEI: Challenges and Opportunities
A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that 56% of employed U.S. adults viewed increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at work as a positive development. Six in 10 respondents reported that their company or place of employment had policies in place to ensure fairness in hiring, pay, or promotions. Among those who supported DEI policies, more than 78% identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, while 30% of those who opposed such policies identified as Republicans or leaned Republican.
However, updated research from 2024 revealed a shift toward more negative views of DEI policies. The percentage of workers who saw increased DEI efforts as a positive dropped to 52%, a 4% decline from the previous year. Among Republican and Republican-leaning workers, 42% now viewed a focus on DEI as a negative.
The data also highlighted significant shifts among racial groups. Support for DEI among Asian American workers dropped from 72% in 2023 to 57% in 2024, with 28% now expressing a neutral stance, up from 18% the previous year. White Americans were increasingly likely to view DEI negatively, with 27% perceiving it as harmful in 2024, up from 21% in 2023. Similarly, Black, white, and Latino workers were more likely to say their workplace placed too much emphasis on DEI. Notably, 8% of Black workers agreed with this sentiment, up from 3% in the prior year.
This shift in perception aligns with a CNN report noting a 29% rise in DEI-related job postings between November 2020 and November 2021, followed by a 23% decline between November 2022 and November 2023.
Despite increased scrutiny, a majority of Americans still believe inclusive policies benefit marginalized groups in the workplace. According to recent studies, 58% of Black women and 55% of Black men found DEI policies helpful. Among Latino workers, 53% of women and 49% of men supported DEI efforts. Among Asian workers, 46% of women and 40% of men said DEI practices were helpful. White Americans were more divided: 36% of white men found DEI policies harmful, while 30% of white women viewed them as helpful, compared to 23% who found them harmful.
The evolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs reflects broader societal shifts and debates about equity, representation, and the role of policy in addressing historical disparities. While DEI remains a contentious issue, it continues to spark critical discussions about the values and priorities shaping workplaces and institutions. These programs, whether embraced or challenged, underscore the complexity of fostering fairness and inclusion in an ever-changing cultural and political landscape.