Member-only story
What Does DEI Mean and Why Are People So Mad About It?
Those who oppose diversity usually have the most to lose
Turn on any news station, read a recent executive order, or watch the press release in which Donald Trump blames diversity for the , and you’ll hear it over and over again: DEI.
This acronym is everywhere. It started months ago when conservatives called presidential nominee Kamala Harris “a DEI hire,” and it’s now a cornerstone of the current president’s plan to “Make America Great Again.”
One way or another, people are pissed about the concept.
Some believe it justifies Trump’s orders to , while others won’t step foot in a Target, Walmart, or Starbucks after these businesses rolled back their DEI initiatives.
But what does DEI actually mean?
DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — though the right and the left have two very different interpretations of its definition.
According to Republicans, DEI is a woke agenda to hire women and Black people (totally unqualified ones) so companies can fill diversity quotas, taking jobs away from white men who are qualified.
