Op-Ed: Do DEI Programs Really Matter?

By Dr. Cleve B. Harrison

A simple Google search tells you that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs help promote fair treatment and full participation of all people. The initiatives may affect training, policies, and practices, but does that mean they are enforced? Of course not! As an effeminate gay man, I can tell you firsthand that although my un-named employer has worked hard to bring an inclusive environment to the forefront, that does not mean it will always happen. I was told twice at my overall very accepting employer that I would not be promoted until I started looking and acting like a man. Many of you will scream, “GO TO HR!” but in the world of “he said, versus she said,” things said behind closed doors are rarely enforced.

When it comes to being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, there are even more disadvantages. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics does not even track the number of employed members of the LGBTQIA community. That is problematic since the UCLA School of Law states that 47% of LGBTQ workers have experienced discrimination or harassment at work in their lifetime. Even with Unconscious Bias training initiatives on the rise, conservative groups claiming, what I call, “straight white privilege discrimination” have pushed for long-time companies that support their LGBT employees to stop reporting their support.

What does this mean with a second Trump Administration? During Trump’s first administration, the ACLU reported that 45 [Trump] worked hard to erase protections for LGBTQ people, especially for our transgender brothers and sisters. A new Trump presidency has already promised that federal policies will be rescinded that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity which is why DEI initiatives are even more critical now. You may not feel that DEI initiatives always help you, which I have felt many times, but trust me when I say not having them could cause a plethora of problems that none of us want to see.