Defining DEI

“Certainly, there are very real differences between us of race, age, and sex. But it is not those differences between us that are separating us. It is rather our refusal to recognize those differences, and to examine the distortions which result from our misnaming them and their effects upon human behavior and expectation.”— Audre Lorde, Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference.

One of my favorite Instagram accounts, shop_aif aka RaeShanda made a video about how some of y’all absolutely refuse to say VP Kamala Harris’ name properly, even after being told the correct pronunciation. Considering the racist history of this this country, there is no way you don’t know how important it is for descendants of those whose names and customs were stripped from them when they were trafficked and enslaved to be called by their given name. Her name is pronounced comma-la and to purposely mispronounce it is microaggression. Intentionally, or even unintentionally, saying her name any other way after being corrected is offensive, disrespectful and blatant misogynoir. So is the fact that y’all continue to say she “slept her way to the top” even though she was already an ADA for four years prior to dating Brown, they dated less than 2 years, and there’s no way that short lived relationship “made” her thirty-year career, but I digress.

And this is why DEI programs are very necessary, very mindful, very demure (I don’t think I’m gonna stop any time soon so get used to that phrase lol).

There is entirely too much baseless controversy surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). I can’t for the life of me understand why such a simple concept got so blown out of proportion but, here we are. While I was getting my masters, I simultaneously took an amazing DEI Certificate program at USF. Newsflash, that amazing program is no longer available because the governor of Florida decided to ban the use of public funding for any DEI initiatives and eliminated anyone working in DEI for the state or in the state university system. Which begs the question, WHAT is DEI?

Let’s start with what DEI is NOT…
DEI is not affirmative action
DEI is not racism nor reverse racism
DEI is not exclusion
DEI is not discrimination
DEI is not political or partisan
DEI is not a tool used to make white people feel bad about being white
DEI is not “woke” because not a soul even knows wth that is at this point
DEI is not “programs that categorize individuals based on race or sex for the purpose of differential or preferential treatment” as defined by the State of Florida
DEI is also not discriminatory attempts to solve racial discrimination by putting white people at a disadvantage.

When I got my DEI certification, I did so with the intent to fully delve into human resources after graduation to help make workplaces safer for all people. My DEI education taught me that
DEI isn’t about or for specific groups of people. DEI is for every single individual on this earth.
I had no idea this concept would become so politicized but somehow DEI became weaponized as a symbol of racism and anti-whiteness.

So again, WHAT is DEI?

Diversity is often used as a synonym for variety or defined as “the practice or quality of including or involving people from different social, ethnic and economic backgrounds and of different races, genders, religions, or sexual orientation.”

Equity is often confused with equality however they are not one in the same. While equality means providing the same things to all people, equity means providing all people with resources that are specific to their needs. Both are ways to ensure fairness irrespective of status.

Inclusion is providing equal access to opportunities or resources across the board for everyone, including those who are often excluded or marginalized such as those with disabilities, women, LGBTQIA+ communities, and minority groups. How any of that translates to anti-whiteness I have no clue because the concepts surrounding DEI it have been around for decades.

DEI is supposed to create spaces where human decency, compassion, empathy, and support are given to everyone. Let’s break it down with real life examples.

Diversity
Maternity leave is time off from work given to a mother before and after the birth of a child. Have you noticed that in most company handbooks “maternity leave” has been replaced or supplemented with parental leave? Why? Caregiving isn’t exclusive to women nor is childbirth the only way to become a parent. DEI tells us that all working people, men, women, and LGBTQIA+ individuals, should have leave policies that support their need to care for children following birth and/or adoption.

Equity
By now we should all know that everyone learns differently. This is based on so many factors but each of us has a preferred way to understand and retain information. It’s so important that people can access information in the way they’re most comfortable with. Whether you need a physical book versus an e-book or audio book can change the way you feel about reading and learning overall. What if there was only one way to teach any concept? Now think about our children and the failing education system and ask yourself why.

Inclusion
Microaggressions are everyday instances of racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and agism. While there are numerous systemic factors at play, microaggressions can be subtle, unintentional or intentional yet communicate bias toward marginalized groups. Examples include:

• Male workers being paid more than female workers doing the same job with the same amount of experience.
• Making assumptions that someone with a physical or learning disability can’t do certain things and needs your assistance.
• Calling your elderly coworker a dinosaur or treating your younger coworker as if they don’t belong.
• Overlooking qualified people for upper-level positions because they aren’t CIS white males.
• If someone is from another country, you assume they can’t understand you or speak English, so you belittle them by trying to “dumb things down”.
• Asking to touch POC hair or touching without permission; also asking if it’s their real hair or a weave
• Being sexist or inappropriate; making obscene gestures or using offensive words to refer to women or other marginalized people
• Any form of cultural appropriation and this list is exhaustive so I will leave it at that

You may not see these as discrimination, however you cannot gaslight people about their own lived experiences. If someone tells you that you or something you’re doing/saying is offending them, it is offending them. You don’t get to decide otherwise.

DEI is about changing cultures to allow everyone to work at their full potential. At some point, people need to understand that DEI has nothing to do with exclusion and everything to do with ensuring that everyone belongs. DEI asks that you acknowledge the fact that people come from a variety of backgrounds, avoid using stereotypes and remove conscious and unconscious bias.

Everyone should feel supported, included and capable of succeeding regardless of who they are or where they come from. No one should be made to feel “less than”. DEI isn’t rocket science. However, if you feel shame when learning about or hearing about DEI or the sordid history of this nation, you understand more than you’re willing to admit or you’re willfully obtuse.