RACISM

Why Some White People Treat Diversity Like an Evil Villain

They see no benefit to diversifying schools, businesses, or communities.

There is no way to sugarcoat the anti-civil rights movement unfolding in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision to ban race-based affirmative action policies. What may have seemed like one decision pertaining to college admissions was symptomatic of a much broader effort to portray diversity as a villain in American society, complete with a swivel chair and maniacal laughter. For instance, conservatives introduced at least forty-five bills to block diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in state legislatures this year. Sadly, there hasn't been enough pushback on the notion that diversity is some blight on the American social landscape. Why does the word "diversity" send shivers down the spine of some White Americans?

There are numerous studies suggesting White Americans collectively oppose diversity programs, each shedding a little more light on the reasons why. For instance, while some suggest the hair-pulling over diversity programs is the result of opposing identity politics across the board, Rabinowitz et al. (2009) indicated that "opposition to racial policies incorporated an explicitly racial component" and did not reflect "a blanket rejection of group-based targeting." This could explain why the Supreme Court's case banned race-based affirmative action policies while leaving gender-based affirmative action policies, which primarily benefit White women, in place. Research suggests that White Americans have an axe to grind with diversity programs, particularly those designed to mitigate the racism Black people experience.

To make matters worse, some White people have this warped perception of how pervaisive diversity programs are. For instance, while Kaiser et al. (2021) suggested that diversity programs have come to represent "symbolic compliance with civil rights laws and have little impact on workplace demographics or bias," some White people believe that organizations were "offering more respect and value to minorities relative to Whites." Essentially, some White people view diversity programs as an injustice that provides unfair advantages to racial minorities, all the while ignoring the insatiable grip White Americans continue to hold in this country. If we lived in a nation where racism was extinct, like a dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period, only to be found in museum exhibits, then we wouldn't need any diversity programs. However, when we're honest about the racial disparities in American society, it's clear Black Americans are not granted equitable access to opportunities. And diversity programs attempt to change that script.

Diversity is a value that transcends representation; it asks society to acknowledge and value differences between groups. However, conservatives, who regularly deny the harm of racism, do not see the value in hiring Black employees or granting opportunities to Black students. Their color-blindness disguises their overtly racist intentions of depriving Black people of opportunities. However, it's essential to acknowledge that diversity is indeed valuable. According to Saxena (2014), diversity is critical to improving productivity in the workplace, and Smith (2000) found that "critical thinking, problem-solving capacities, and cognitive complexity increases for all students exposed to diversity on the campus and in the classroom." A diverse workplace is more productive because when various groups can participate, they bring unique perspectives and knowledge to the forefront. And the same can be said about a diverse classroom.

Still, some White people continue to spread the myth that diversity has no value and have subsequently banned these programs. According to Forbes, Elon Musk, a prominent investor and currently the wealthiest person in the world, referred to diversity, equity, and inclusion as "morally wrong," and nothing more than "propaganda." And last spring, Ron DeSantis, Florida's governor, signed a law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs on public college campuses. However, despite the popularity of this anti-diversity movement, it's time to confront the big white elephant in the room — if someone proudly opposes diversity, then aren't they admitting they’d prefer whites-only spaces?

Calling diversity "morally wrong" seems in line with Southern segregationists who believed Black and White people should live in separate societies. For instance, William Rainach, a Louisiana state legislator, said, "I do not believe the two societies should mix," Orval Faubus, Arkansas' governor, declared, "I will never open the public schools as integrated institutions." At the same time, James O. Eastland, a Mississippi Senator, proudly boasted that "those who would mix little children of both races in our schools are following an illegal, immoral, and sinful doctrine." What American history shows is that those who see diversity as a social problem are racists. And even though segregation is no longer legal, our nation has never fully embraced diverse schools, businesses, or communities.

A study published by the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California-Berkley states, "more than 80% of large metropolitan areas in the United States were more segregated in 2019 than they were in 1990." And as long as diversity is seen as the villain in our American tale and not racism, then it's unlikely the nation will culturally shift. Contrary to the pathological pearl-clutching of some White Americans, diversity programs are not destroying our country, nor were they designed to do so.

If sending your children to attend class with Black students makes your blood boil, or you assume that your Black colleague two doors down doesn't belong in the position they have, then it's not diversity that's the problem. It’s anti-black racism. So far, White conservatives have been successful in their efforts to attack diversity programs. But, few are asking them about the alternative to diversity, which is nearly homogenous, or whites-only schools, businesses, and communities. Unfortunately, this seems to be the long-sought-after goal: to dismantle the gains made through the civil rights era by portraying diversity as an evil villain that must be defeated—a dragon to be slayed. Unless more Americans start paying attention to the systemic efforts made to ban diversity programs, Black Americans will continue to be stuck at the bottom of the social hierarchy, routinely deprived of opportunities, while being told that seeking a more equitable society is morally reprehensible.

References

Kaiser, C. R., Dover, T. L., Small, P., Xia, G., Brady, L. M., & Major, B. (2021). Diversity Initiatives and White Americans' Perceptions of Racial Victimhood. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211030391

Rabinowitz, J. L., Sears, D. O., Sidanius, J., & Krosnick, J. A. (2009). Why Do White Americans Oppose Race-Targeted Policies? Clarifying the Impact of Symbolic Racism. Political Psychology, 30(5), 805–828. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2009.00726.x

Saxena, A. (2014). Workforce diversity: A key to improve productivity. Procedia Economics and Finance, 11, 76–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(14)00178-6

Smith, D. G., & Schonfeld, N. B. (2000). The Benefits of Diversity: What the Research Tells Us. About Campus, 5(5), 16–23.

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