Anti-Bias Training Works

False Assumption: Diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings effectively reduce bias and discriminatory behavior.

Summaries Written by FARAgent (AI) on February 09, 2026 · Pending Verification

For years, the respectable view in business, universities, government, and medicine was that anti-bias training was a practical, evidence-based fix for discrimination. The logic was easy to follow. If prejudice often operates unconsciously, then "implicit bias" workshops, antiracism seminars, and DEI modules could make people aware of their blind spots and improve hiring, promotion, discipline, and everyday conduct. After the 2010s, especially after 2020, this became standard elite doctrine: organizations issued DEI statements, hired diversity officers, and treated training as a mild, civilized correction for old injustices. A reasonable person looking at the rhetoric, the legal pressure, and the early studies often cited in its favor could conclude that these programs were at least better than doing nothing.

What went wrong was the evidence never matched the confidence. Researchers who had spent years teaching prejudice and bias reduction began reporting that the effects were weak, short-lived, or hard to detect in real behavior, even when attitudes shifted for a moment. Systematic reviews in the late 2010s and early 2020s found a great deal of advocacy, a thinner record of durable results, and some signs of backlash, resentment, or ritual compliance. Meanwhile the programs expanded anyway, often becoming mandatory and moralizing, with sessions on "white privilege," "allyship," and racial identity that many employees experienced less as training than as ideological sorting. The promise was fewer discriminatory outcomes; the visible result was often bureaucracy, lawsuits, office bitterness, and a new language for favoritism.

The debate now is not settled, but it has plainly changed. Growing evidence suggests the broad claim, that DEI training effectively reduces bias and discriminatory behavior, was too sweeping and too casually asserted. Even some supporters now talk less about "what works" than about "revamping" programs, narrowing goals, or opening them to everyone rather than treating them as instruments of confession and reeducation. An influential minority of researchers and writers argue that the field sold certainty first and asked for proof later. The old confidence, that a workshop could reliably scrub institutions of bias, no longer looks like common sense.

Status: A small but growing and influential group of experts think this was false

People Involved

Ibram X. Kendi emerged as one of the most visible proponents of the assumption that diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings effectively reduce bias and discriminatory behavior. As an antiracism scholar, he framed the choice in stark terms: one must actively confront racial inequities as an antiracist or allow them to persist as a racist. His writings and public appearances helped embed this binary into corporate workshops, university curricula, and media discourse after 2014, where it shaped mandatory training sessions across institutions. The framework spread quickly among those seeking clear moral guidance on systemic issues, though later studies questioned whether such coercive approaches produced the intended reductions in prejudice. ^[3]
Michael Inzlicht, a social psychologist who had taught courses on prejudice for 15 years, became an influential critic after his own 2011 research showed that coercive messaging increased anti-Black prejudice compared with no intervention. He later described modern anti-racism efforts as generating backlash and reactance, publishing critiques that highlighted how good intentions can alienate. His work, alongside replications, added to the growing evidence suggesting the trainings may not reliably reduce bias and can sometimes worsen attitudes. Inzlicht's shift from insider to skeptic illustrated the emerging questions about the assumption's effectiveness. ^[3]
Steven Pinker, the Harvard psychologist and public intellectual, warned that mandatory diversity statements and trainings enforced ideological uniformity and purged freethinkers from academia. He argued that such policies undermined academic values by prioritizing identity over reason and evidence. Pinker's public criticisms, issued from his position of prominence, contributed to the debate over whether these interventions delivered measurable reductions in discriminatory behavior. His commentary resonated with those observing rising self-censorship on campuses. ^[8]
Steve Stewart-Williams, a psychologist at a university, reviewed proposed DEI plans and cautioned against adopting mandatory diversity training and implicit bias sessions that lacked rigorous support. He pointed to evidence that such programs often failed to change behavior and could backfire. His feedback, delivered through academic channels and his Substack, represented the growing minority of experts questioning the assumption's reliability in real-world settings. Stewart-Williams emphasized the need for empirical validation over institutional enthusiasm. ^[8][10]

▶ Supporting Quotes (87)

“Compact magazine has an excellent piece by Jacob Savage on diversity hiring over the last decade or so.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“Here’s an excerpt from an essay in The New York Times by Ross Douthat.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“Meanwhile, in The Atlantic, Thomas Chatterton Williams adds an important wrinkle to Savage’s argument.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

““As Kendi argues, ‘One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist.’"”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“I got into social psychology specifically to reduce prejudice. My dissertation was about the educational experiences of marginalized groups. I created and taught a course called the Psychology of Prejudice for nearly 15 years.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Research I conducted over a decade ago, with my former students Lisa Legault and Jennifer Gutsell, now both tenured professors”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Sociologists Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev discuss how people often respond to mandatory diversity programs with anger and resistance, with many participants reporting more racist attitudes, not less.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

““One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist.””— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“At its core, anti-racism makes arguments rooted in the work of scholars like Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald et al. 1998)”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Oswald and colleagues conclude that ‘the IAT provides little insight into who will discriminate against whom, and provides no more insight than explicit measures of bias’ (2013, 18).”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Edouard Machery (2017b), for example, describes an ongoing “rescue mission” within the field, implying that the relevant research is in peril of being discredited.”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“We argue that while there are significant challenges and ample room for improvement, research on the causes, psychological properties, and behavioral effects of implicit bias continues to deserve a role”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Steven Pinker (source): Many of the assaults on academic freedom (not to mention common sense) come from a burgeoning bureaucracy that calls itself Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion while enforcing a uniformity of opinion... And since overt bigotry is in fact rare in elite universities, bureaucrats whose job depends on rooting out instances of it are incentivized to hone their Rorschach skills to discern ever-more-subtle forms of “systemic” or “implicit” bias.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“As Alexandra Kalev observed, “A company is better off doing nothing than mandatory diversity training.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

““I’m concerned about trigger warnings’ rapid spread, despite a complete lack of evidence they help... We should be talking about things that matter more [like] how to encourage people to access evidence-based care for PTSD.” Payton Jones”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“As the Harvard law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen reported in 2014, about a dozen of her colleagues at multiple institutions had dropped rape law from their criminal-law courses.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“its authors are advocates of DEI, and include a university president - Ora Hirsh Pescovitz - and three faculty leaders: David Dulio, Mark Navin, and James Naus. All are from Oakland University in Michigan.”— Reforming DEI

“here’s something I wrote a few years ago in response to a request for feedback on proposed EDI initiatives at my own university.”— Reforming DEI

“Many of the assaults on academic freedom (not to mention common sense) come from a burgeoning bureaucracy that calls itself Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion while enforcing a uniformity of opinion...”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

““There’s no evidence that anything like that works. Those cures are of the snake oil variety.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“For Jason Low, publisher of Lee & Low Books and coauthor of the survey, the top-line number of publishing becoming less white marks “a tangible through line that’s going in the right direction, and shows a commitment on behalf of publishers to hire inclusively.””— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

““The good news is that the publishing community has started to develop a blueprint for progress,” she says. But she also cautions that progress is a marathon, not a sprint.”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

““Slow but immense,” says Barney, who is now an associate publisher at Penguin Random House (PRH). “Also not enough at the same time.…A lot of different states of progress can exist at the same time.””— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“The move marks another step in the Trump administration's far-reaching effort to purge so-called DEI content from federal agencies... Hegseth has aggressively pushed the department to erase DEI programs and online content”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“Jay Greene, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Education Policy, said that while the "ostensible objective" of DEI is to make college campuses more welcoming and inclusive, he doesn't believe that is the purpose of the initiatives. "Instead, the effective purpose of diversity, equity and inclusion is to create a political orthodoxy and enforce that political orthodoxy, which fundamentally distorts the intellectual and political life on campus," Greene told Fox News.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“"What's happened over the last five to 10 years is its spread out in decentralized ways," Perry told Fox News. "At the University of Michigan, each college, school, or department on campus will have a diversity officer, including the library, the arboretum, school of nursing – the college of engineering at Michigan has about 10" diversity officers.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Robert Sellers, Michigan's vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, is also the highest-paid DEI official from the top 15 colleges on their list, a Fox News review of pay at the universities found. Michigan's most recent faculty and staff disclosures reveal that Sellers earns an annual salary of nearly $431,000.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Or is it making people sit through a training that looks like something out of Portlandia, which I have also experienced. And it is how it is how Trump Republicans are made.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“Thanks to her work at Feminist Frequency, along with her operation of the Games and Online Harassment Hotline, Sarkeesian has since had the opportunity to speak directly to DEI managers and stakeholders within the gaming industry.”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“For the past four years, the former BBC network correspondent, Barnie Choudhury, has been researching why so few Black Minority Ethnic journalists ever make it to the highest echelons of the Corporation’s News division.”— Still hideously white?

““This isn’t protest or freedom of speech, it’s racism and it should have no place in our society” Laura Pye speaks out about the distressing scenes witnessed on the streets of Liverpool and across the UK.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“which was the first thing President Joe Biden signed after taking office.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“Greene and James Paul, director of research at the Educational Freedom Institute, co-authored a comprehensive study of DEI bureaucracies in higher education.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“"What's happened over the last five to 10 years is its spread out in decentralized ways," Perry told Fox News.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Robert Sellers, Michigan's vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, is also the highest-paid DEI official from the top 15 colleges on their list, a Fox News review of pay at the universities found.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“And it is how it is how Trump Republicans are made.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“"I'm not here to tell you that DEI is broken. I'm here to tell you that DEI is working as intended. And that's the problem."”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“One of the posts by military influencer Anthony Laster slams Army life for having 'No Privacy, The Pay Sucks, Sh***y Food, Disrespectful Leadership, NO SLEEP!' and has been viewed more than 600,000 times. Laster, from Chicago, has more than a million followers on TikTok and made the public comments in uniform while on mission in the desert.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

““Federal civil-rights law prohibits employers from making promotion decisions based on race or sex,” Nick Barry, Senior Counsel at America First Legal, said.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“Trump said as much in an interview this past spring: “I think there is a definite anti-white feeling in this country.… I don’t think it would be a very tough thing to address, frankly. But I think the laws are very unfair right now.””— The War on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“'I've been shocked at what my former co-workers have told me about Activision Blizzard... Blizzard now has struggle sessions where white developers must discuss their privilege...'”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“Barbara Furlow-Smiles, former lead strategist and global head of employee resource groups and diversity engagement at Facebook, was charged with defrauding her employer of more than $4 million over more than four years by wiring money to her friends and associates under the guise of company expenses as part of a kickback scheme. She pleaded guilty this week.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“Ibram X Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University raised $55 million in the years after its establishment in summer 2020. By autumn 2023 the centre was mired in scandal, as it suddenly laid off more than half of its staff.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Movement, spent millions of dollars on real estate across the country in 2020, though the organisation denies that she used the organisation’s funds to do so. She also funneled BLMGM business to an art company owned by the father of her child.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“Regina Jackson and Saira Rao started Race to Dinner in 2019, charging affluent, liberal white women $5,000 for lectures on racism held during intimate dinner parties.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“Robin DiAngelo is estimated to have earned up to $2 million from her book White Fragility. She more than doubled her speaking fees from $6,000 to $14,000 following her surge to prominence in 2020, and the Daily Mail estimated that she made well over $700,000 annually just from speaking engagements.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

““It’s the same playbook they use all around the country,” he said, “they try to erase progress.””— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

““Teachers don’t have to learn to respect Black children, and America voted for that,” she said.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“and Joseph Biden, who signed Executive Orders 13985 and 14035, which entrenched DEI principles into every federal department and routed billions of dollars toward advancing this ideology throughout American society.”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“Barbara Furlow-Smiles, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the case in December, stole more than $4.9 million from Facebook "utilizing a scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks," said Atlanta U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan.”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“Barbara Furlow-Smiles, who led various Facebook Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs from 2017 through mid-2021, stole the money "through an elaborate scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fictitious charges, and cash kickbacks," the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta said in a statement.”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan, in a statement, said Furlow-Smiles had abused her position of trust at Facebook to "defraud the company of millions of dollars, ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI mission."”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“"We fight DEI because we see it as a mortal threat to the American way of life," Claremont Institute president Ryan P. Williams and state coalitions senior director Scott Yenor recently wrote on the think tank's website.”— Anti-DEI bills targeting colleges have surged since 2021

“"The backlash is real. And I mean, in ways that I've actually never seen it before," he says. "CEOs are literally putting the brakes on this DE&I work that was running strong"”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“After George Floyd, the chief diversity officer role "was the hottest position in America," says Kevin Clayton... Companies were hiring for these positions "out of guilt,"”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“widespread attacks from lawmakers, high-profile rich guys and conservative activists like former Trump aide Stephen Miller.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

““On behalf of ODI, it has been an honor to help ensure that the United States Congress embodied a qualified and representative workforce that reflected the country’s vast tapestry,””— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“The America First Legal Foundation, led by former senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller, recently sent letters to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“"The American Alliance for Equal Rights is satisfied that Perkins Coie’s racially discriminatory fellowship program has been eliminated and replaced," group president Edward Blum said in a statement.”— Perkins Coie DEI Suit Ended by Anti-Affirmative Action Group (1)

““the racialization of medical school education is troubling” and that it was “one thing to recognize the health needs of different populations,” but it was “entirely different to inject racial politics into medical care.” “Demanding that medical school students become activists is dangerous,” Jacobson said. “The mantra of the so-called ‘antiracism’ movement has no place in medicine.”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“Robin DiAngelo, the best-selling author of White Fragility, gives you the vocabulary and practices you need to start confronting racism and unconscious bias at the individual level and throughout your organization.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“Outspoken critic of critical race theory and knitting community dissident Karlyn Borysenko shared an alleged whistleblower account from inside the Coca-Cola company.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“During his confirmation hearings in January, Austin told the Senate that the Pentagon’s job is to "keep America safe from our enemies. But we can’t do that if some of those enemies lie within our own ranks."”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“Bishop's complaints were ignored by academy leadership.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

““We’ve just secured in the budget millions of dollars for culturally relevant pedagogy training. I hope you will avail yourself of that training,” Carranza said. “And we’ve secured millions of dollars for anti-implicit bias training. Again, I hope you will avail yourself of that,””— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

““The university claims that it’s dedicated to diversity and inclusion, but time and time again there are racist and discriminatory things that happen on this campus that aren’t properly addressed,” said a member of the Organization of Black Students, Qudsiyyah Shariyf, at the rally.”— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“I have heard the expressions of those who do not feel fully included at Yale, many of whom have described experiences of isolation, and even of hostility, during their time here.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“"I am tired of the white tears. Listen, if you are competent, you are not concerned." "So, the only people that are crying are the mediocre white boys that have been beaten out by people that historically have had to work so much harder."”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“The United States cannot say that it's fully been a meritocracy when we have 249 years of slavery, 90 years of racialized segregation and barred women from entering into the workforce in meaningful ways for much of our nation's history. That's not a meritocracy, denying people access and opportunities regardless of whether they're qualified.”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“Donald Critchlow, the director of the center, wrote in the studies introduction that it was focused on looking at the influence of Critical Race Theory in the United States Armed Forces training.”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“First of all, on the issue of critical race theory, et cetera, I'll obviously have to get much smarter on whatever the theory is, but I do think it's important, actually, for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read. The United States Military Academy is a university, and it is important that we train and we understand, and I want to understand white rage, and I'm white.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“There is racism in the United States Navy.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“Critical Race Theory Will Destroy Our Military”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“according to Jonathan Kanter, a member of the Office of Health Care Equity at UW Medicine and WAG.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“When Keir Starmer took the knee and pledged to undertake unconscious bias training in the wake of the death of George Floyd”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

“‘Bias can indeed be genuinely unconscious, which is why one of the most important things that people can do to minimise the impact of their own biases is to get to know what they are,’ says Nic Hammarling”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

““The pilot shortage for the industry is real,” Scott Kirby, the chief executive of United Airlines, told analysts and reporters on Thursday. “Most airlines are simply not going to be able to realize their capacity plans because there simply aren’t enough pilots, at least for the next five-plus years.””— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

““It just continues to reinforce this image,” Dr. Meyer said. “This simultaneously plays into this often subconscious association between whiteness and maleness and technical competence.””— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier was fired this month as commander of a U.S. Space Force unit. His “offense”? Speaking the truth about critical race theory’s rapid inroads among America’s armed forces.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“As a reward for blowing the whistle, Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command, reportedly removed Lohmeier as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“When asked about the #OscarsSoWhite campaign in 2015 and whether the Academy had a diversity problem, she responded, “Not at all.””— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

““While the Academy has made strides, we know there is much more work to be done in order to ensure equitable opportunities across the board,” Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said in 2020. “The need to address this issue is urgent.””— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“On Jan. 15, 2015, Twitter user and activist April Reign first tweeted “#OscarsSoWhite they asked to touch my hair.””— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

““JCCC’s discriminatory curriculum has led to increased racial animosity toward Caucasian teachers and students,” reported Eric Early, a Republican candidate for California attorney general.”— It’s Not ‘Identity Politics,’ It’s Anti-White Politics - ILANA MERCER

“facilitators repeatedly referred to Bilkszto’s comments as examples of white supremacy. The experience was humiliating”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

Organizations Involved

Universities across the United States promoted and enforced anti-bias trainings as empirically grounded interventions that would improve hiring, promotions, and campus climate. Institutions such as the University of Michigan maintained 163 DEI personnel and spent $85 million over five years on related initiatives, including mandatory trainings framed as essential to the university's mission. Harvard reduced the share of white men in humanities tenure-track positions from 39 percent in 2014 to 18 percent in 2023 while institutionalizing DEI requirements. These policies spread the assumption that structured trainings could reliably reduce discriminatory behavior, though subsequent reviews found limited evidence of lasting positive effects. ^[1][2][21]

Corporations implemented mandatory diversity training programs that relied on concepts such as white privilege and implicit bias, often tying participation to performance evaluations. Google enforced the assumption when it fired engineer James Damore after he questioned whether discrimination alone explained gender imbalances in tech. Similar dynamics appeared at Mozilla, which ousted CEO Brendan Eich over a 2008 donation supporting traditional marriage. These actions signaled that questioning the efficacy of anti-bias measures carried professional risk, helping the assumption embed itself in workplace culture even as evidence of limited effectiveness accumulated. ^[3][7]

The U.S. Naval Academy maintained books and materials that promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion content until the Pentagon directed their removal following executive orders. In response to a media report, the academy used keyword searches to identify and pull 381 volumes, including works on the Holocaust, civil rights, and Maya Angelou's autobiography. This reversal illustrated how institutional endorsement of the assumption had shaped educational collections for cadets before political directives prompted a purge. The episode highlighted the assumption's earlier reach into military education. ^[18][25]

Publishing houses such as Scholastic and Lee & Low Books advanced the assumption through employee resource groups, diversity baseline surveys, and public commitments to workforce diversification after 2020. Scholastic maintained 14 ERGs and pursued diverse hiring to improve retention and empowerment. Lee & Low's surveys were cited to document modest shifts, such as white staff declining from 76 percent in 2019 to 72.5 percent in 2023. These efforts positioned anti-bias and inclusion initiatives as practical tools for industry change, though later data showed high attrition among some diverse hires and questions about long-term impact. ^[13]

▶ Supporting Quotes (97)

“Universities offer workshops aimed at reducing bias, for example, in hiring. They claim their interventions are based on empirical findings, citing studies.”— “Focus like a laser on merit!”

“In 2011, the year I moved to Los Angeles, white men were 48 percent of lower-level TV writers; by 2024, they accounted for just 11.9 percent.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“The Atlantic’s editorial staff went from 53 percent male and 89 percent white in 2013 to 36 percent male and 66 percent white in 2024.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“White men fell from 39 percent of tenure-track positions in the humanities at Harvard in 2014 to 18 percent in 2023.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“mandatory corporate diversity training”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“two-thirds of those aged 18–25 agreed with Google’s decision to fire James Damore for questioning whether discrimination explains the underrepresentation of women in computer programming.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“the 2014 ouster of Brandon Eich, Mozilla’s CEO, who donated to California’s antigay marriage Proposition 8 in 2008.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“About half of those in the Qualtrics survey had taken diversity training, and a quarter had received training that involved concepts such as white privilege and patriarchy, which are linked to Critical Race Theory or Critical Social Justice.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“the requirement in some U.S. universities to provide DEI statements in job applications. Many have pointed out that this functions as a political litmus test”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“A statement by the American Association of University Professors captured the problem well: The presumption that students need to be protected rather than challenged… is at once infantilizing and anti-intellectual.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“All are from Oakland University in Michigan.”— Reforming DEI

“According to the Lee & Low Diversity Baseline Survey, that commitment made some difference. From 2019 to 2023, the number of white people in publishing decreased from 76 percent to 72.5 percent”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“Pinkney says that employee resource groups (ERGs) have been a “game changer” for this purpose at Scholastic. According to a document shared by a company spokesperson, the publisher boasts 14 ERGs”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“Philadelphia and the city’s police department on behalf of five white male officers who claim they were denied promotions and career advancements due to their race and sex.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“The Navy late Friday provided the list of 381 books that have been taken out of its library... Nearly 400 books were removed from Nimitz Library to comply with directives outlined in Executive Orders issued by the President.”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“The Pentagon has said the academies are "fully committed to executing and implementing President Trump's Executive Orders."... Pentagon leaders, however, turned their attention to the Naval Academy last week when a media report noted that the school had not removed books promoting DEI.”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“Sollah Has a Plan for You! We have the in tools necessary to maximize your workforce for today and beyond. Interactive eLearning, facilitation guides, discussion cards, how-to books, and video situations... are ready to tackle the tough issues we each face in the workplace.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“Greene's study shows that the University of Michigan has the most DEI personnel out of the universities, with 163 individuals working on such efforts as of 2021. ... He said the university injects $15 million in total compensation to DEI bureaucrats, including $11.8 million for payroll and $3.8 million in benefits.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Georgina Dodge, the vice president at the office of diversity and inclusion at the University of Maryland, which employs 71 DEI personnel, makes $358,000 a year, a database of Maryland public employees shows.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“DEI staffers inside of gaming and tech workplaces "often make incredible sacrifices to do anything they can to make their immediate world a better, safer place." But those well-meaning staffers face numerous overt and subtle challenges”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“In fact, by using the Freedom of Information Act, I’ve discovered that in fifteen years the BBC invented at least twenty-nine schemes to help boost racial diversity.”— Still hideously white?

“Senior managers I have spoken to reject that the BBC can be institutionally racist because, they argue, the Corporation has policies in place to prevent this.”— Still hideously white?

“The U.S. Naval Academy has culled 400 books deemed to promote to diversity, equity and/or inclusion from its library at the insistence of the Trump administration”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“Last week, the Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Md., identified 900 potential books to review in response to orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to remove books containing DEI-related content, The New York Times reported. That list included The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr., Einstein on Race and Racism, and a biography of Jackie Robinson.”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“The nation's five military academies were also told in February to eliminate admissions “quotas” related to sex, ethnicity or race after President Trump signed an executive order to remove “any preference based on race or sex” from the military.”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“National Museums Liverpool is committed to being an anti-racist organisation. ... We will be visible, bold and confident in these efforts to support our workforce and partners as well as ensure we use our influence as a national museum service to do more to drive anti-racism within our sector and wider society.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

““Biden’s action plan is a major win for the organizations like Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation who have been working with the White House to help develop it since the end of 2020,” said the organization the day after the plans were announced by the White House.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“the administration is doubling down on the color-conscious policies that were the hallmark of its first year in office through a series of “action plans,” which it released through every executive bureaucracy last month.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“A memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Tuesday evening called for all federal DEI employees to be placed on leave by Wednesday evening.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“The memo from OPM sent Tuesday directs the heads of all U.S. agencies to place all federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion roles on leave by 5 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. Agencies must also "take down all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) of DEIA offices," cancel upcoming DEI trainings and terminate contracts with DEI-related contractors by the same time Wednesday.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“Michigan, for instance, devoted $85 million in 2016 to diversity initiatives over a five-year period, the Detroit Free Press reported.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Menah Pratt-Clarke, vice provost for inclusion and diversity at Virginia Tech, which has 83 DEI personnel, earns over $351,000 annually.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Kevin McDonald, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Virginia, which has 94 employees devoted to DEI, makes $340,000 a year.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“Sean C. Garrick, vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Illinois, which has 71 DEI employees, earns nearly $330,000 annually.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“It seems that DEI has been co-opted by the powerful to become a shield against criticism and real change.”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“Using the FOIA, I found that BBC News will never reach its aspirational 12.5% BME target. Yet in April 2010 only two of the seventy-four senior managers were BME.”— Still hideously white?

“Senior managers I have spoken to reject that the BBC can be institutionally racist because, they argue, the Corporation has policies in place to prevent this.”— Still hideously white?

“The Army is in the middle of a five-year plan to become a 'model example of diversity, equality and inclusion', with the blessing of the White House.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

“The city eliminated the policy in 2021 in an effort to give the city more flexibility in addressing recruitment and diversity challenges in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the national conversation on race that followed.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“Among federal health workers, Black employees have reportedly been the focus of a right-wing “D.E.I. watch list,” which published their names and salaries alongside their alleged D.E.I. crimes.”— The War on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“Activision Blizzard allegedly pushes employees to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and installs diversity officers to ensure DEI compliance for each video game.”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“Current and former employees complained of mismanagement of grant funds and a dysfunctional work environment in media interviews, and the project largely failed to produce the research it promised. A Racial Data Tracker, which was central to the centre’s research goals, never came to fruition”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“As of January 2022, there was apparently no one in charge of Black Lives Matter Global Network’s $60 million coffers after co-founder Cullors failed to install a new director following her resignation. The organisation was forced to stop fundraising in several Democrat-run states due to its failure to report on its 2020 finances.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“In November, the state settled a lawsuit with a conservative advocacy group by agreeing that prospective and practicing teachers will no longer be required to adhere to guidelines that included developing awareness of how their own “unconscious biases” could affect their approach to teaching and their expectations of students.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“CS-RE was meant to require school districts to actively consider “what does it mean for underrepresented groups in the state to feel more included in educator systems,” El-Mekki said.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“22 Pa. Code § 49.14(4)(i) requires the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to identify competencies and develop associated standards for educator training in culturally relevant and sustaining education (CR-SE).”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“COMPETENCIES: CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND SUSTAINING EDUCATION (CR-SE)”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“how DEI bureaucracies became embedded in the federal government”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“Leaders of the University of Michigan, one of America’s most prestigious public universities, like to say that their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is inseparable from the pursuit of academic excellence.”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“Michigan has poured roughly a quarter of a billion dollars into D.E.I. since 2016, according to an internal presentation I obtained. A 2021 report from the conservative Heritage Foundation examining the growth of D.E.I. programs across higher education — the only such study that currently exists — found Michigan to have by far the largest D.E.I. bureaucracy of any large public university.”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“She was a lead strategist and global head of employee resource groups and diversity engagement at Facebook, the subsidiary of Meta. ... While there, she executed a theft scheme similar to the one she did at Facebook, prosecutors said.”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“A former Facebook global diversity strategist stole more than $4 million from the social media giant "to fund a lavish lifestyle" in California and Georgia, federal prosecutors said.”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“behind the scenes they're fed up with DEI, Johnny Taylor, president of the Society for Human Resource Management said”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“many have been filed over these programs, more than 20 by Miller's America First Legal.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“Comcast expanded a small business grant program called Rise... But in 2022, Comcast was sued by an anti-DEI group... That suit settled in late 2022, and the following year the Rise press release contained no language about race.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“Members of the Congressional Black Associates, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association, the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association and the Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus released a joint statement on Monday saying they were “disheartened” by the loss of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The statement said the office “played a pivotal role in increasing diversity in Congress.””— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“The group over the past year has accused more than a dozen companies—including Morgan Stanley, PricewaterhouseCoopers, McDonald’s, and ...”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“A US civil rights agency finds itself in a difficult position after getting hit by requests from ex-Trump administration officials to investigate Activision Blizzard Inc., Kellogg Co., and other major corporations because their diversity policies allegedly violate federal anti-discrimination law.”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“Uber Technologies Inc. Not long ago, the ride-share giant said it wasn’t enough for the company to be not racist. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Uber promised to be anti-racist.”— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“Take Uber Technologies Inc... Similar edits ...”— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“Blum’s two-year old group dropped a similar suit against Morrison Foerster on Oct. 6 after that firm changed its diversity, equity and inclusion fellowship.”— Perkins Coie DEI Suit Ended by Anti-Affirmative Action Group (1)

““all faculty, students, trainees, postdocs and fellows will be required to complete a virtual training session on unconscious bias. It will be followed by anti-racism and then bystander intervention training.””— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“The medical school at UCLA requires all “community members” to complete an “annual subset of anti-racism trainings,” as well as “provide resources and education” to the medical school community “on critical topics of privilege, allyship and dialogue, encouraging self reflection, self-awareness and a shared sense of responsibility for advancing social justice in science, medicine and health care.””— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“The list of prestigious medical schools incorporating critical race theory includes internationally renowned schools, such as Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan Medical School.”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“Coca-Cola is forcing employees to complete online training telling them to "try to be less white." These images are from an internal whistleblower.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“The course is available for purchase on LinkedIn Learning, and is described thusly... It was released on June 25, 2020... listed as having had nearly 20,000 "learners."”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“It was offered as a LinkedIn Learning Course of the Week at the University of Montana in July.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“In September, it was the basis for a town hall at the University of Wyoming presented by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion... Free copies of her book were made "available to students on a first-come basis while supplies last."”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“A July 2020 film by the United States Air Force Academy football team endorsing Black Lives Matter and "antiracism" education prompted retired Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop to speak out against the school’s administrators.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“On Wednesday, 30 of them called on Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to "take action to fight back against the creeping left-wing extremism in the U.S. military."”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“That experience led Bishop and Scott to start an advocacy group called Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services. In under a year, STARRS boasts a membership into the hundreds, including dozens of officers and retired military officials.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“the city has just set aside $23 million for anti-bias training of city teachers”— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“A coalition of multicultural student groups known as “UChicago United” has presented to the University of Chicago a list of demands... “This coalition has formed to address a larger political climate that is epitomized in continuous occurrences of racist, discriminatory, and exclusionary acts within the UChicago community.”— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“The University of Chicago has an unwavering commitment to the values of diversity and inclusion. The members of our University community are dedicated to continue addressing these matters, and have taken steps to improve in these areas, such as the recent climate survey on diversity and inclusion and the subsequent discussions around campus focused on these topics.”— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“Yale has been exploring the possibility of creating a prominent university center supporting the exciting scholarship represented by these and related areas.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“Within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences... we will invite one of our senior faculty members to take on the responsibility of helping to guide the FAS in its diversity efforts... This new leadership position will be located in the office of the dean of the FAS, and will hold the title of deputy dean for diversity.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“the administration sent a memo to department heads in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) offices directing them to inform employees that they are being placed on paid leave due to the closure of the office.”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are found throughout the U.S. Armed Forces and our service academies”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“The study done by the university's Center for American Institutions”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“The United States Military Academy is a university, and it is important that we train and we understand”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“Admiral Michael Gilday placing Ibram X Kendi's 2019 book, How to Be an Antiracist, on the Navy's reading list.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

““UW Medicine’s colleagues came together to discuss how to support our Black colleagues and BIPOC community from a whiteness perspective,” an information sheet says on the university’s website.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“WAG originated as part of a series of caucuses in response to the killing of George Floyd in Summer, 2020, in which UW Medicine’s colleagues came together to discuss how to support our Black colleagues and BIPOC community.”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“‘Unconscious bias training is much like any other form of training – the quality of the design and the delivery is paramount.”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

“the Department of the Treasury recently held a seminar that promoted arguments that “virtually all White people, regardless of how ‘woke’ they are, contribute to racism,” and that instructed small group leaders to encourage employees to avoid “narratives” that Americans should “be more color-blind” or “let people’s skills and personalities be what differentiates them.” Training materials from Argonne National Laboratories, a Federal entity, stated that racism “is interwoven into every fabric of America” and described statements like “color blindness” and the “meritocracy” as “actions of bias.” Materials from Sandia National Laboratories, also a Federal entity, for non-minority males stated that an emphasis on “rationality over emotionality” was a characteristic of “white male[s],” and asked those present to “acknowledge” their “privilege” to each other. A Smithsonian Institution museum graphic recently claimed that concepts like “[o]bjective, rational linear thinking,” “[h]ard work” being “the key to success,” the “nuclear family,” and belief in a single god are not values that unite Americans of all races but are instead “aspects and assumptions of whiteness.””— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“United recently launched a flight school with the aim of hiring thousands of pilots in the years ahead, at least half of them women or people of color.”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“In 2018, American launched a partnership with flight schools in Arizona, Florida and Texas, offering prospective pilots training, financing and mentoring, with an eye toward diversity.”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“It wasn’t until she arrived at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. Flight Academy, which was started by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“The woke left views the military as a crucial ideological battlefield. And much of the brass and civilian leadership at the Pentagon are prepared to fight—on behalf of the woke cause.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“A Pentagon official told CNN that Lohmeier had been relieved of his duties “due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead.””— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“To the Academy’s credit, it responded to #OscarsSoWhite criticisms by making steps to reconfigure its nomination process that had resulted in such a lack of Black inclusion. In 2020, for instance, the Academy established new representation and inclusion standards that take effect in 2024.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“A Hayward elementary school struggling to boost low test scores and dismal student attendance is spending $250,000 in federal money for an organization called Woke Kindergarten to train teachers to confront white supremacy, disrupt racism and oppression and remove those barriers to learning.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“The Woke Kindergarten sessions train teachers on concepts and curriculum that’s available to use in classrooms with any of Glassbrook Elementary’s 474 students. The sessions are funded through a federal program meant to help the country’s lowest-performing schools boost student achievement. But two years into the three-year contract with Woke Kindergarten, a for-profit company,”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“Instead of offering support to Bilkszto and protection in these training sessions, the school board distanced itself from him. One colleague, who has since been made an education director in Hamilton, thanked the facilitator for “modelling the discomfort.””— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“He said that he disagreed that Canada was more racist than the United States, and that he thought the nation was worthwhile in certain ways. “For the rest of the training session, and throughout a follow-up training session the week after, facilitators repeatedly referred to Bilkszto’s comments as examples of white supremacy.”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“A forthcoming paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics (QJE), "A Cognitive View of Policing" ... reports results from a field experiment showing that teaching police officers to "consider different ways of interpreting situations they encounter" led to "reductions in use of force, [and] discretionary arrests" (abstract).”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

The Foundation

The assumption that diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings effectively reduce bias and discriminatory behavior rested on the belief that implicit bias could be measured and altered through targeted interventions. Early proponents cited the Implicit Association Test as evidence that unconscious attitudes drove discriminatory actions and that training could interrupt those links. Meta-analyses later reported small correlations between implicit measures and behavior, accounting for roughly 1 to 8 percent of variance, comparable to other psychological predictors. Longitudinal data also showed low test-retest reliability, undermining claims of stable attitudes that trainings could reliably shift. ^[5][8]

Early studies and cherry-picked examples were used to argue that diversity brought measurable benefits and that anti-bias sessions offered a mild correction for past inequities without harming others. Advocates framed hesitation to embrace active antiracism as complicity, drawing on real disparities to justify coercive elements such as mandatory workshops and diversity statements. Coercive pamphlets using language about combating prejudice and erasing racism were distributed in workplaces and campuses. Subsequent experiments found that such materials sometimes increased prejudice relative to control conditions, while mandatory programs provoked resistance and more negative attitudes. ^[1][3]

The framework drew on the idea that passive non-discrimination perpetuated systemic racism and that active dismantling through policy and training was required for equity. This view seemed credible to many given documented inequities, yet it generated the sub-belief that social pressure and shame would produce behavioral change. Surveys and reviews indicated that trainings often failed to reduce bias, alter behavior, or improve workplace outcomes, with some producing adverse effects such as heightened anxiety about speech. A 2023 Annual Review of Psychology found thin evidence that implicit prejudice reduction efforts reliably reduced bias. ^[3][11]

Trigger warnings were promoted on the assumption that they allowed emotional preparation and reduced distress when encountering difficult material. Universities began requiring or encouraging them on syllabi, sometimes expanding triggers to any potentially upsetting content. A gold-standard meta-analysis found no reliable effect on distress levels, while other research suggested they increased anticipatory anxiety and could lead faculty to drop challenging topics such as rape law. These findings added to the body of evidence that growing numbers of experts cite when questioning the broader assumption. ^[9]

▶ Supporting Quotes (85)

“Now they can cite articles saying diversity is wonderful, and therefore, we need to have this training. Yes, you can cherry-pick articles about the wonders of diversity, but then you’re systematically ignoring the ones where diversity is ineffective or counterproductive.”— “Focus like a laser on merit!”

“the entire liberal establishment insists that nothing actually happened, that the “mild” correction was in fact no correction at all, and that any white man harmed in the process was in fact “mediocre.””— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“gatekeepers have typically favored women or members of racial minorities, but only those equipped with a prix-fixe menu of progressive values and beliefs.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“In this view, passive non-discrimination isn't enough. The framework requires a commitment to actively fighting racism; if someone chooses the path of non-prejudice or non-racism, they are unwittingly supporting passive racism.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“The extrinsic motivation pamphlet used the language of prejudice-reduction that was common on campus in the late 2000s. It urged participants to “combat prejudice” and comply with social requirements to control stereotypical impulses, using terms like “erase racism” and “stop prejudice.””— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Estimates of average correlations between individuals’ scores on implicit measures and measures of behavior have varied, from approximately r = .14 to r = .28 (Cameron et al. 2012; Greenwald et al. 2009a; Oswald et al. 2013).”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Individuals’ scores on implicit measures fluctuate considerably over time. Multiple longitudinal studies have demonstrated low correlations between individuals’ scores on implicit measures across days, weeks, and months”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Results indicate that diversity training, as currently practiced, needs to be reformed or abolished in organizations as it heightens employee anxiety and advances contentious beliefs.”— THE POLITICS OF THE CULTURE WARS IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA

“Cultural socialism is the idea that public policy should be used to redistribute wealth, power, and self-esteem from the privileged groups in society to disadvantaged groups, especially racial and sexual minorities, and women. This justifies restrictions on the freedom and equal treatment of members of advantaged groups.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“Most anti-bias interventions haven’t been tested, and of those that have, many don’t work and some backfire, increasing bias rather than reducing it.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Some argue that trigger warnings help trauma victims and others to emotionally prepare for upsetting material. Knowing that it’s coming, people can brace themselves for it. Others, however, argue that trigger warnings instead increase distress in response to the material... According to the gold-standard meta-analysis on the topic, neither side is!”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“Some argue that trigger warnings are useful because they give people - trauma victims in particular - the option to avoid upsetting material. Others, however, argue that although trigger warnings do indeed do that, this is a bad thing rather than a good thing because avoidance helps maintain trauma. Trigger warnings may therefore be countertherapeutic... The preponderance of evidence suggests that trigger warnings don’t reliably lead people to avoid potentially upsetting material.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“the use of trigger warnings could bolster the misguided view that people who’ve experienced traumatic events are inevitably scarred by them and psychologically fragile forever more, and it could reinforce trauma victims’ belief that their trauma is central to their identity... trauma survivors who view their traumatic experience as central to their life have elevated PTSD symptoms.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“interventions that research shows don’t work and may even make things worse (e.g., mandatory diversity training; implicit bias training; trigger warnings)”— Reforming DEI

““[H]undreds of studies dating back to the 1930s suggest that antibias training does not reduce bias, alter behavior or change the workplace.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

““Implementation of DT [diversity training] has clearly outpaced the available evidence that such programs are effective... [M]any studies reveal the potential for adverse effects following DT.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Tests of implicit bias (like the IAT) have low test-retest reliability: People typically get different scores each time they take the test.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Though implicit bias interventions may change people’s implicit biases to some degree – or do so, at least, in the short-term – the effects of such changes on behavior are trivially small or non-existent, even in the immediate wake of the intervention.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“From 2019 to 2023, the number of white people in publishing decreased from 76 percent to 72.5 percent, the survey found. The shift was driven by an increase in biracial and multiracial respondents from 3 percent to 8.4 percent. Most other racial groups saw little change, except for Latinx respondents, whose numbers declined from 6 percent to 4.6 percent.”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“Navy officials went through the Nimitz Library catalog, using keyword searches, to identify books that required further review. About 900 books were identified in the search. "Departmental officials then closely examined the preliminary list to determine which books required removal,"”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“Assumptions and stereotypes sure have gotten a lot of attention within the workplace as of late. But do you really understand them? Complete this short form to receive immediate access to a powerful primer that defines and highlights the impact of those types of biases on those around us.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“When employees feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work, which benefits our organization as a whole.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“Greene said it's "shocking," given the large scale of investments, that there is "no evidence to show it's achieving its ostensible purposes of helping improve racial climate, tolerance and welfare of students."”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“What do we mean when we talk about diversity? Is it caring for people’s different experiences and making sure no one is mistreated because of them, which I will always fight for? Or is it making people sit through a training that looks like something out of Portlandia”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“"Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are framed as attempts to transform workplace environments into spaces that are welcoming for all people, especially those historically underrepresented," Sarkeesian said. "I'm not here to tell you that DEI is broken. I'm here to tell you that DEI is working as intended. And that's the problem."”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“Its rationale and aim were clear: Over the years, we've sought proactive ways to increase diversity at senior management level across the BBC. [...] The MDP is a development scheme for the BBC’s brightest and best.”— Still hideously white?

“The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racial stereotyping which disadvantage ethnic minority people.”— Still hideously white?

“Create displays and interpretation that do not present palatable versions of history; but instead reveal multiple histories whilst amplifying marginalised voices. This will include exploring how objects came about in our own collections, reviewing the display context of objects, descriptions, use of language and imagery across all our venues and online.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“Build on our mandatory and optional training for our workforce as well as provide further regular personal development opportunities facilitated by external specialists.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“The word “equity” has come to mean the opposite of such equal treatment. In the hands of the Biden administration, and movement allies such as BLM, equity means that the government will treat Americans differently based not on need, but on race, membership in an ethnic category the government may have created for them in the first place, or on a predetermined victimhood status.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“The federal government, for example, defines the term “underserved communities” as “populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of ‘equity.’"”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“They also rescind numerous previous executive orders and actions from past administrations that aimed to promote diversity throughout the federal government.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“while the "ostensible objective" of DEI is to make college campuses more welcoming and inclusive, he doesn't believe that is the purpose of the initiatives.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“What do we mean when we talk about diversity? Is it caring for people’s different experiences and making sure no one is mistreated because of them, which I will always fight for? Or is it making people sit through a training that looks like something out of Portlandia, which I have also experienced.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“The clue to lack of BBC-BME success is in the fact that almost every six months a new way was being found to boost racially diverse numbers. It shows a lack of real world thinking, a lack of real commonsense and a lack of real strategic thinking.”— Still hideously white?

“My research suggests that it stands accused of institutional racism under the flawed Macpherson definition.”— Still hideously white?

“The military has faced criticism for using 'woke' advertising campaigns focused on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as drag shows for troops, to appeal to Gen Z.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

““Firstly, it will increase the diversity of candidate pools. Secondly, it will allow the City to leverage the use of alternate selection tools like training and experience as opposed to traditional “pen and paper” (a.k.a. standardized test) assessments,” a Philadelphia City Council spokesperson wrote in 2021.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“What began as a push for broader inclusion morphed into quota-driven mandates, demographic scorecards and internal political signaling exercises that often had little to do with business performance.”— Corporate America has decided that DEI needs to DIE

“'Together, we will build a future that embraces diversity, fosters inclusivity, and empowers all.'”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“the project largely failed to produce the research it promised. A Racial Data Tracker, which was central to the centre’s research goals, never came to fruition, nor did a number of other research projects it had advertised.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“The suit challenged the state’s “Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines,” known as CS-RE, which were adopted in November 2022 after a long campaign by the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education (CR-SE): Education that ensures equity for all students and seeks to eliminate systemic institutional racial and cultural barriers that inhibit the success of all students in this Commonwealth—particularly those who have been historically underrepresented.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“Believe and acknowledge that microaggressions are real and take steps to educate themselves about the subtle and obvious ways in which they are used to harm and invalidate the existence of others.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“Attaining a diverse, qualified workforce is one of the cornerstones of the merit-based civil service.”— Executive Order 13583-- Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce

“Nike told prosecutors that she was "entrusted as a leader for [the] company, that she would embody the value of 'Doing the Right Thing' which is one of NIKE's key maxims," the prosecutor said in their memo.”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“Among other things, prosecutors said Furlow-Smiles, 38, caused the Meta subsidiary to pay people for goods and services that were never actually provided to the company and then had those individuals pay her kickbacks. "These individuals included friends, relatives, former interns from a prior job, nannies and babysitters, a hair stylist, and her university tutor," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“That led schools, governments, corporations and others to create diversity initiatives that typically focus on racial sensitivity — and the nation's history of overlooking many of the stories of non-white Americans. The backlash that followed focused largely on conservatives' claims that DEI programs undermine traditional teachings of American history — and often had the effect of making white students feel guilty.”— Anti-DEI bills targeting colleges have surged since 2021

“Companies were hiring for these positions "out of guilt,"... some CEOs are feeling like they didn't hire well for these roles, bringing on people with civil rights backgrounds instead of more corporate expertise”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“there are widespread inequities in corporate America — 1.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs are Black, for example.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“The office was first formed in March 2020 with a mission of creating a congressional workforce that reflected the makeup of the nation. According to its website, the office’s key duties have included financial management, candidate services, member services, research and data analytics and professional development.”— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“about what it called “unlawful employment practices” that include diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“it wasn’t enough for the company to be not racist... anti-racist — a squishy term encompassing efforts to counter systemic racial prejudice.”— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“students, faculty, and staff were required to undergo some form of training on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which often incorporates aspects of critical race theory.”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“"To be less white is to:" "be less oppressive," "be less arrogant," "be less certain," "be less defensive," "be less ignorant," "be more humble," "listen," "believe," "break with apathy," and finally to "break with white solidarity." ... "In the US and other Western nations, white people are socialized to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white. Research shows that by age 3 to 4, children understand that it is better to be white."”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“"Rather than e pluribus unum, rather than teamwork, rather than cohesion, we're being taught an ideology which seeks to divide us based on the color of our skin," Bishop told the Washington Free Beacon.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“Cadets spoke about running into books by Malcolm X and other radicals in a new "Diversity and Inclusion Reading Room" at the school”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“a tweet in which he shared a headline that accused “wealthy white Manhattan parents” of ranting against a plan to desegregate Upper West Side middle schools.”— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“The allegedly discriminatory events referenced include “offensive” posters discovered on campus on March 10, a “racist-themed” party scheduled for May 5, and anti-Palestinian posters found on campus on May 12... The coalition contends that the campus climate in general “fails to adequately support students of marginalized backgrounds and identities.””— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“It is clear that we need to make significant changes so that all members of our community truly feel welcome and can participate equally in the activities of the university, and to reaffirm and reinforce our commitment to a campus where hatred and discrimination are never tolerated.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“Race, ethnicity, and other aspects of social identity are central issues of our era, issues that should be a focus of particularly intense study at a great university.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“The United States cannot say that it's fully been a meritocracy when we have 249 years of slavery, 90 years of racialized segregation and barred women from entering into the workforce in meaningful ways for much of our nation's history.”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“there is an emphasis on training new soldiers about social issues like "unconscious bias" and "intersectionality" in a way the center says runs contrary to typical American ideals.”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“"The massive DEI bureaucracy, its training and its pseudo-scientific assessments are at best distractions that absorb valuable time and resources"”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“Critical race theory makes race the prism through which all aspects of American life are viewed. It categorizes individuals into groups of oppressors and victims”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

““The current WAG is responsive to stated needs for more structured and ongoing peer-led efforts to help our community better understand antiracism and support each other in becoming more antiracist without having to burden non-white colleagues for this support,” the web page continues.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“The leftist concept of “anti-racism” has largely been pushed by Boston University professor Ibram X. Kendi, whose Center for Antiracism Research came under fire in the fall for laying off more minorities than white employees.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“The current WAG is responsive to stated needs for more structured and ongoing peer-led efforts to help our community better understand antiracism and support each other in becoming more antiracist.”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“Do you wonder how you fit in to UW Medicine’s commitment to being an antiracist institution? Are you a UW Medicine community member who wishes to learn more about antiracism and deepen your engagement in antiracist work within our community, or in your home environment?”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races, as well as our most venerable institutions, are inherently sexist and racist are appearing in workplace diversity trainings across the country, even in components of the Federal Government and among Federal contractors.”— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“Few women and people of color aspire to fly planes because they rarely see themselves in today’s flight decks.”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“As air travel became more popular in the 1970s and 1980s, airline advertisements almost exclusively depicted pilots as white men, with some exceptions in publications directed at Black consumers, said Alan Meyer... “It just continues to reinforce this image,” Dr. Meyer said. “This simultaneously plays into this often subconscious association between whiteness and maleness and technical competence.””— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“Lohmeier described to radio host Steve Gruber the “intensive teaching that I heard at my base—that at the time the country ratified the United States Constitution, it codified white supremacy as the law of the land.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“On another show, Lohmeier shared more concerns that motivated him to speak out, saying that “the diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military” are further examples of Marxist ideas that included critical race theory.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“Given the 336 Oscars for acting that have been awarded over the ceremony’s lifetime, actors of color account for roughly 6% of overall wins.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“But critics have observed how films with virtually no Black characters like “The Irishman” still meet inclusion standards by employing a white female casting director and a Mexican cinematographer.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“American kids can barely read properly or speak and write grammatically. They’ll never know the wonders of the Western literary canon (banished because produced by the pale patriarchy). But they’ve committed to consciousness ugly, nonsensical, stupid, decontextualized grids that tabulate the ways of white oppression.”— It’s Not ‘Identity Politics,’ It’s Anti-White Politics - ILANA MERCER

“train teachers to confront white supremacy, disrupt racism and oppression and remove those barriers to learning.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“And in a certain sense, this is seen as a feature, not a bug, of certain types of trainings — the point really is to instill discomfort in (white) participants.”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“these sorts of DEI interventions are, very obviously, psychological interventions. What else do you call something that is designed to change the way people think and act? And if they’re psychological interventions, of course they should be subjected to certain standards”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“The pre-registration ... identifies 10 "Primary Outcomes" (DVs), and at least 33 "Secondary Outcomes", for a total of at least 43 dependent variables... The pre-registration reads "We will analyze these outcomes for up to 12 months after . . . [and] relevant sub-periods to see if the effects change over time. " (emphasis added)”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

“The top row in the table is the p=.051 discussed in detail above. The second row shows that the single DV on discretionary arrest gets p=.048 after four months... "number of days officers were off-duty due to injuries".”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

How It Spread

The assumption spread rapidly after 2014 through institutional mandates in media, academia, entertainment, and corporate human resources departments. Liberal media often framed complaints about hiring shifts as invalid, while younger workers entering organizations tended to support enforcement actions such as the firing of James Damore. Two-thirds of adults aged 18 to 25 backed his dismissal, compared with two-thirds of those over 50 who opposed it. This generational dynamic helped embed the trainings in left-leaning workplaces even as empirical support remained contested. ^[2][7]

Private-sector consultants offered high-priced workshops that presented anti-bias techniques with the certainty of established fact. The implicit bias concept moved from psychology laboratories into popular culture through HR departments, politicians, and media stories, fueling a multi-million-dollar training industry. Mandatory sessions became standard in many organizations, often tied to concepts from critical race theory such as white privilege and patriarchy. Public shaming for perceived missteps reinforced participation, creating social pressure that discouraged open skepticism. ^[1][11]

Universities incorporated mandatory diversity training and implicit bias sessions into DEI plans, proposing them as core tools for inclusion and weighing DEI contributions in promotions. Publishers responded to the 2020 racial reckoning after George Floyd's death by publicly vowing to diversify their workforces and citing surveys as proof of progress. The BBC ran at least 29 internal diversity schemes over 15 years, while federal agencies released 25 equity action plans in 2022 that steered contracts toward underserved groups. These channels helped the assumption achieve institutional scale before accumulating evidence prompted increasing questions about its effectiveness. ^{[8][13][24][27]}

Social and political pressure amplified the spread. The #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements encouraged performative commitments in industries such as gaming, where companies created DEI roles that were often underfunded or treated as part-time. Public website statements, ally resources, and cross-organizational action plans further normalized the trainings. Growing evidence from meta-analyses and expert reviews began to challenge the assumption, yet institutional inertia kept many programs in place until political and legal pushback intensified. ^[23][26]

▶ Supporting Quotes (71)

“Offers from the private sector look like pseudoscience. We found workshops involving unconscious bias trainings that costs between $1.000 and $5.000 (9, 10, 11).”— “Focus like a laser on merit!”

“In retrospect, 2014 was the hinge, the year DEI became institutionalized across American life…”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“Especially when the entire liberal establishment insists that nothing actually happened”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“This approach manifested in mandatory corporate diversity training and diversity statements, public shaming for even simple mistakes or misunderstandings, and attempts to get people fired or not hired for opinions that went counter to the anti-racist approach.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Some of the methods used to reduce prejudice relied heavily on public accountability and social pressure, creating approaches that felt coercive while leaving little room for grace.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Headlines in the popular press have been even more pointed. New York Magazine reports, ‘Psychology’s Favorite Tool for Measuring Racism Isn’t Up to the Job’ (Singal 2017); the Chronicle of Higher Education asks, ‘Can We Really Measure Implicit Bias? Maybe Not’ (Bartlett 2017); and most pointedly, the Wall Street Journal describes ‘The False “Science” of Implicit Bias’ (Mac Donald 2017).”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Machery argues that leading methods for studying and theorizing about implicit bias need to be rethought from the ground up, writing that we should not ‘build theoretical castles on such quicksand.’”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Those who have taken diversity training are significantly more woke than those who have not;”— THE POLITICS OF THE CULTURE WARS IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA

“In a controversy dominated by anecdotes and headlines, it is vital to systematically gather and analyze survey data on public experiences and attitudes toward culture-war issues.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“Younger people are substantially more likely to support cultural socialism than older Americans, even when controlling for ideology and party identification. As today’s college graduates enter large organizations, they will mount an increasing challenge to freedom of expression.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“staff at my university were invited to give feedback on the institution’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plans.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Once confined to the academy, trigger warnings have long since escaped into the wider world, and are now familiar to almost everyone and almost everyone’s dog... I’m concerned about trigger warnings’ rapid spread, despite a complete lack of evidence they help.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“Some DEI programming can promote ideological conformity by presenting contested concepts around identity and oppression as indisputable. This can cause people who question those narratives to be labeled as bigoted or insensitive, which contributes to self-censorship, conformity and exclusion.”— Reforming DEI

“The concept of implicit bias has long since made the leap from psychology labs and journal articles to the wider culture. The phrase can be found on the lips of HR managers, politicians, and characters in stories and movies. Meanwhile, implicit bias training, which seeks to root out the biases supposedly lurking in our unconscious minds, has become a multi-million dollar industry.”— Why Implicit Bias Training Doesn't Work

“interventions that research shows don’t work and may even make things worse (e.g., mandatory diversity training, implicit bias training, and trigger warnings)”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“In 2020, as America dealt with a racial reckoning spurred by the killing of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests, publishers vowed to diversify their workforces.”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“"Nearly 400 books were removed from Nimitz Library to comply with directives outlined in Executive Orders issued by the President."... In January, federal government websites were scrubbed to remove diversity-related content.”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“TrainingBriefs® Civility Matters... TrainingBriefs® She’s Just Too Old!... The Future of Work™ Generations in the Workplace... POWERFUL TRAINING SOLUTIONS THAT WORK!”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“If that comes to your workplace with the best of intentions but doesn’t actually get at what we’re what what actually matters here, what’s actually at stake”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“Sarkeesian began by recounting increased public scrutiny and conversation about representation inside tech companies, particularly gaming companies, in the wake of social movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. She pointed to a measured surge in DEI hiring throughout 2020.”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“the clue to lack of BBC-BME success is in the fact that almost every six months a new way was being found to boost racially diverse numbers.”— Still hideously white?

“Anti Racism Project Press, books, articles, films and children's resources to help tackle racism. Find out more How can I be a stronger ally? This article gives tips and practical advice for those looking to be allies in this space.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“The New York Times first reported on this con game on Feb. 15, when Lisa Friedman wrote that the administration was using a new tactic.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“Agencies must also "take down all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) of DEIA offices," cancel upcoming DEI trainings and terminate contracts with DEI-related contractors”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“Download Our Newest Resource! ... TrainingBriefs® Civility Matters ... Inclusion 101™ Optimizing Our Diversity Potential ... TrainingBriefs® She’s Just Too Old! ... The Future of Work™ Generations in the Workplace.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“"We believe Rob Sellers' pay is appropriate for the executive-level position he fills at U-M and it is in line with the salary of others with similar responsibilities," Rick Fitzgerald, the associate vice president for public affairs at Michigan, told Fox News.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“if we were more serious about the actual values and not caught up in vocabularies and trying to cater to everybody only in terms of their particular slice of combinations of identities versus the shared project.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“Its rationale and aim were clear: Over the years, we've sought proactive ways to increase diversity at senior management level across the BBC.”— Still hideously white?

“We are aware that black, ethnic minority and disabled staff are currently under-represented at both SM [senior management] level and higher grades. The purpose of the MDP is to address this.”— Still hideously white?

“The traditional allure of military recruitment is failing to register with Gen Z.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

“in an effort to give the city more flexibility in addressing recruitment and diversity challenges in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the national conversation on race that followed.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“Retailers such as Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Ulta and Sephora signed the "Fifteen Percent Pledge," committing to reserve 15% of shelf space exclusively for Black-owned brands. More than seventy major corporations — including competitors like Nike, Levi Strauss, Ralph Lauren and American Eagle — signed the "Count Us In" pledge”— Corporate America has decided that DEI needs to DIE

“D.E.I. can be many things, from efforts to increase the diversity of a workplace through hiring initiatives to the creation of affinity groups that bring underrepresented workers together. It may also include workplace trainings on topics such as racism, gender discrimination, and sexual harassment.”— The War on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“The document was sent to Kern as an alleged internal leak... Activision recently published a braggadocious report about the company's DEI work.”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“In the three years since the explosive growth of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in 2020, numerous high-profile leaders in the field have been exposed as grifters.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“prospective and practicing teachers will no longer be required to adhere to guidelines”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“Chapter 49 requires instruction in CR-SE to be integrated in educator preparation, induction, and continuing professional development programs as follows: Continuing professional development programs must integrate the CR-SE competencies no later than the 2023-24 academic year. Educator preparation and induction programs must integrate CR-SE competencies no later than the 2024-25 academic year.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“routed billions of dollars toward advancing this ideology throughout American society.”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“develop and issue a Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (Government-wide Plan), to be updated as appropriate and at a minimum every 4 years”— Executive Order 13583-- Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce

“When Michigan inaugurated what it now calls D.E.I. 1.0, it intentionally placed itself in the vanguard of a revolution then reshaping American higher education.”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“After being terminated from Facebook, she brazenly continued the fraud as a DEI leader at Nike, where she stole another six-figure sum from their diversity program.”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“Barbara Furlow-Smiles, who led various Facebook Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs from 2017 through mid-2021”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“since George Floyd's murder in May 2020 pushed businesses into action.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“Companies started caring about diversity a lot more after a flurry of lawsuits — with employees alleging race and sex discrimination — in the 1990s and early 2000s”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

““Unfortunately, the politicization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives has led to those resources being stripped away from Capitol Hill staff despite their impact,” the statement said. “Eradicating efforts that promote diversity and inclusion could reduce opportunities for staffers of color, creating further barriers to representation in a body that already does not adequately reflect the diversity of the country it represents.””— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“requests from ex-Trump administration officials to investigate Activision Blizzard Inc., Kellogg Co., and other major corporations”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“On the way out: Phrases like “anti-racist,” “unconscious bias” and “mandatory allyship.””— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“The database criticalrace.org, a project of the nonprofit organization Legal Insurrection, found that...”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“This course, Confronting Racism, with Robin DiAngelo, is offered all over the place.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“??? BREAKING: Coca-Cola is forcing employees to complete online training telling them to "try to be less white." These images are from an internal whistleblower: pic.twitter.com/gRi4N20esZ — Karlyn supports banning critical race theory in NH (@DrKarlynB) February 19, 2021”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“Military academies, the 34-year Air Force veteran said, should remain politically neutral, particularly at a time when Black Lives Matter protests have led to riots and violence throughout major cities across the country.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“Carranza, 51, had been taking some criticism for the April 27 tweet in which he shared a headline that accused “wealthy white Manhattan parents” of ranting against a plan”— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“The rally featured speakers from numerous organizations... Approximately 40 students were in attendance.”— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“The conversations we are having today, about freedom of expression and the need for inclusivity and respect — principles that are not mutually exclusive.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“Crockett was on CNN's Laura Coates Live show, discussing the reported appointment of Darren Beattie... Crockett responded that "coddling for the white boys is what's happening right now," adding: "I am tired of the white tears."”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“DEI extends well beyond just formal training programs in the military and service academies.”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“Milley's remarks come on the heels of Admiral Michael Gilday placing Ibram X Kendi's 2019 book, How to Be an Antiracist, on the Navy's reading list.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“Questions potential members are encouraged to ask themselves before joining include, “Do you wonder how you fit in to UW Medicine’s commitment to being an antiracist institution?,” and “Would you like support and structure in learning and implementing antiracist action?””— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“Sign up to receive WAG updates, events, and opportunities. The Office of Healthcare Equity has the following affinity groups for colleagues with interest in supporting each other, including: 2SLGBTQIA+ Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (ANHPI) Black Hispanic and Latinx Mixed Race.”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“This malign ideology is now migrating from the fringes of American society and threatens to infect core institutions of our country. Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races, as well as our most venerable institutions, are inherently sexist and racist are appearing in workplace diversity trainings across the country, even in components of the Federal Government and among Federal contractors.”— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“airline advertisements almost exclusively depicted pilots as white men”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“Consider the Navy’s Professional Reading Program. It includes books that portray America as systemically racist and promotes the view that the Constitution was written to perpetuate white supremacy.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“The Defense Department is now reportedly considering hiring a private company to monitor the free speech of military personal on social media, using key words or algorithms that by their very nature reflect the perspective of those who select the words and write the algorithms.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“Within that day, the hashtag became viral and many Black actors and social activists used the tweet to protest Hollywood’s longstanding racism.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“The majority of studies (75% of antiracism training; 66.6% of DEI training) utilized a one-time training session”— A systematic review of diversity, equity, and inclusion and antiracism training studies

“the effect size of diversity-type training is near zero, and notably, the effect size decreased as the academic rigor of the study increased”— Why Doesnt Diversity Training Work? The Challenge for Industry and Academia

“The sessions are funded through a federal program meant to help the country’s lowest-performing schools boost student achievement.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“after a post-George-Floyd-murder surge in the hiring of so-called CDOs — the percentage of S&P 500 companies with a CDO jumped from under 50% in 2018 to about three-quarters in 2022”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“We should demand that findings from one-off policy field experiments be maximally credible, for two main reasons: (1) it is nearly impossible for the research community to check them, and (2) they could directly influence policy.”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

Resulting Policies

Universities enacted policies requiring diversity statements and mandatory trainings as part of hiring, promotion, and campus climate initiatives. These requirements often functioned as political litmus tests, with DEI contributions weighed in tenure decisions. Proponents justified the measures by citing the assumption that such interventions would reduce bias and improve equity. Reviews later found that mandatory formats frequently backfired, increasing bias or provoking resistance rather than diminishing it. ^[3][8]

Corporations adopted mandatory diversity training across departments, framing participation as essential to combating systemic bias. Policies frequently incorporated concepts such as implicit bias and white fragility, with non-compliance carrying professional consequences. The assumption that these sessions would produce measurable reductions in discriminatory behavior underpinned their widespread rollout. Evidence from multiple studies indicated limited or counterproductive results, yet the programs remained embedded in many workplaces. ^[3]

The Philadelphia Police Department replaced its Rule of Two policy with the Rule of Five, submitting the top five candidates from civil service exams for promotions to enhance diversity. City officials defended the change as a tool to address underrepresentation. Critics argued it risked introducing new forms of bias. The policy reflected the broader institutional confidence in diversity-driven mechanisms that the assumption had encouraged. ^[29]

Federal and military policies initially expanded DEI content before later reversing course. President Barack Obama's Executive Order 13583 promoted diversity and inclusion across the federal workforce. Subsequent executive orders under President Donald Trump directed the removal of DEI materials from military academies, including the purging of nearly 400 books from the U.S. Naval Academy library through keyword searches. These shifts illustrated how the assumption had shaped policy until political and evidentiary challenges mounted. ^[19][38][60]

▶ Supporting Quotes (75)

“Because the mandates to diversify didn’t fall on older white men, who in many cases still wield enormous power: They landed on us…”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“Diversity training is especially ineffective when it requires mandatory participation.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“mandatory corporate diversity training and diversity statements”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Diversity training is especially ineffective when it requires mandatory participation.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Results indicate that diversity training, as currently practiced, needs to be reformed or abolished in organizations”— THE POLITICS OF THE CULTURE WARS IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA

“Another proposal is to use DEI contributions in promotion decisions... the requirement in some U.S. universities to provide DEI statements in job applications.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“On campus the definition of what constitutes a trigger has expanded dramatically from stimuli that induce symptoms of PTSD to any material that might elicit “difficult emotional responses”… [P]olicies like these would impede meaningful engagement with difficult topics.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“DEI initiatives have come under increasing fire in recent months... conceptions of DEI that prioritize some identities over others”— Reforming DEI

“Recently, staff at my university were invited to give feedback on the institution’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plans.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“An overview of the case against implicit bias training.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Publishing’s 2020 wave of diverse hiring was not its first... Editorial departments saw the biggest shift in racial makeup in recent years, according to the Lee & Low survey. Those roles decreased from 85 percent white in 2019 to 72 percent in 2023.”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“The AFL said the lawsuit challenges Philadelphia’s “Rule of Five” policy which replaced the city’s previous “Rule of Two” policy. Under the “Rule of Two,” only the two highest ranking candidates on the eligible list were submitted to the requesting department for an interview during municipal hiring in Philadelphia.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“this week after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office ordered the school to get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity and inclusion... The books were removed... to comply with directives outlined in Executive Orders issued by the President.”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“Tuesday's order also goes beyond just federal agencies, and directs the attorney general within 120 days to submit "recommendations for enforcing Federal civil-rights laws and taking other appropriate measures to encourage the private sector to end illegal discrimination and preferences, including DEI."”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“This involves actively creating policies and practices that promote a civil and respectful workplace, and providing training to all employees to increase their awareness and understanding of their co-workers.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“Michigan, for instance, devoted $85 million in 2016 to diversity initiatives over a five-year period, the Detroit Free Press reported. The efforts included a program for incoming freshmen "to help assess and then develop skills for navigating cultural and other differences," enhanced programming for new faculty members on "inclusive teaching methods," programs to recruit and retain a more diverse pool of students, faculty and staff and "an innovation grant program to catalyze new ideas from students, faculty and staff for addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion," the Free Press reported.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“If that comes to your workplace with the best of intentions”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“internal legal teams "micromanage" communications on DEI-related topics, either internally or externally, to mute productive conversations before they can even begin. Sarkeesian suggests that more open conversations about DEI in the workplace, or overt efforts to support "identity-specific" spaces inside of companies, are typically treated by gaming companies' legal teams as "a liability or a unionization threat."”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“in fifteen years the BBC invented at least twenty-nine schemes to help boost racial diversity. [...] BBC News will never reach its aspirational 12.5% BME target.”— Still hideously white?

“Both the Naval and Air Force Academies have also completed curriculum reviews to remove materials that allegedly promote DEI”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“Develop and implement cross-organisational Action Plans which are reviewed and updated on an annual basis; sharing actions and targets publicly with performance analysis included as part of our enhanced Annual Performance Review.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“The equity plans therefore call for steering contracts and other kinds of federal procurement toward the administration’s favored identity groups.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“One of these victimhood umbrellas is the LGTBQ category, which means that special consideration for federal contracts, grants, and other benefits will be awarded to individuals based on their sexual preferences.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“The orders cut funding for so-called DEI initiatives across all agencies in order to "end DEI inside the federal government," according to Trump administration officials. They also rescind numerous previous executive orders and actions from past administrations that aimed to promote diversity throughout the federal government.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“The agencies must also submit "a written plan for executing a reduction-in-force action regarding the employees who work in a DEIA office," by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 31, the memo stated.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“Here are a few ideas and strategies that you can use to cultivate a culture of belonging in our organization. Foster open communication & active listening. ... Embrace civility. A culture of belonging must be one that is inclusive. This involves actively creating policies and practices that promote a civil and respectful workplace, and providing training to all employees to increase their awareness and understanding of their co-workers. Encourage collaboration & teamwork.”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“He said the university injects $15 million in total compensation to DEI bureaucrats, including $11.8 million for payroll and $3.8 million in benefits.”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“making people sit through a training that looks like something out of Portlandia, which I have also experienced.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“DEI stakeholders inside of gaming and tech workplaces "often make incredible sacrifices to do anything they can to make their immediate world a better, safer place." But those well-meaning staffers face numerous overt and subtle challenges.”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“In fact, by using the Freedom of Information Act, I’ve discovered that in fifteen years the BBC invented at least twenty-nine schemes to help boost racial diversity.”— Still hideously white?

“Trump is using D.E.I. to scythe through the federal government’s disproportionately Black and female workforce”— The War on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

“'review forms that have you rate how well you DEI/ESG.'... 'nearly every game design decision at Activision has to be run by DEI officers (their official title) that sit on the teams themselves.'”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“Across the US, DEI programmes are being slashed, administrators are being laid off en masse, and state legislatures are restricting the programmes on anti-discrimination grounds.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“CS-RE was meant to require school districts to actively consider “what does it mean for underrepresented groups in the state to feel more included in educator systems,””— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“On April 23, 2022, the final form amendments to Chapter 49 (relating to Certification of Professional Personnel) of Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code became effective upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“Continuing professional development programs must integrate the CR-SE competencies no later than the 2023-24 academic year.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“(d) establish a system for reporting regularly on agencies' progress in implementing their agency-specific Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plans and in meeting the objectives of this order.”— Executive Order 13583-- Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce

“Most students must take at least one class addressing “racial and ethnic intolerance and resulting inequality.” Doctoral students in educational studies must take an “equity lab” and a racial-justice seminar. Computer-science students are quizzed on microaggressions.”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“Michigan’s largest division trains professors in “antiracist pedagogy” and dispenses handouts on “Identifying and Addressing Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture,” like “worship of the written word.” The engineering school promises a “pervasive education around issues of race, ethnicity, unconscious bias and inclusion.””— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“Prosecutors said that while at Facebook she linked PayPal, Venmo and Cash App accounts to her Facebook credit cards and then used those accounts to pay her friends, relatives, and others for purported goods and services for the company that were never delivered.”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“As part of the scheme, Furlow-Smiles linked PayPal, Venmo and Cash App accounts to her Facebook credit cards and used those accounts to pay friends, relatives and other associates for goods and services purportedly provided to Facebook.”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“Some businesses are cutting back funding, trimming DEI staff — and even considering pulling back on things like employee resource groups”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“Goldman Sachs opened up its "Possibilities Summit" for Black college students to include white students”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“The US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be dissolved as part of the government spending bill that passed Friday... The office was first formed in March 2020”— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“their diversity policies allegedly violate federal anti-discrimination law.”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“Now, “anti-racist” has been struck from its latest corporate filings. Similar edits ...”— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“All but two of the top 25 medical schools in the United States require students to undergo some form of critical race theory training, according to new data from a database...”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“employees within the company are being required to "try to be less white."”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“Announcements from senior Biden administration officials about new programs to crack down on right-wing extremism within its ranks have sparked outrage from Republicans.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“Republicans in the House and Senate expressed alarm at the firing of U.S. Space Force Lt. Colonel Matthew Lohmeier, who criticized the "neo-Marxist" agenda infiltrating the military.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“We’ve just secured in the budget millions of dollars for culturally relevant pedagogy training... And we’ve secured millions of dollars for anti-implicit bias training.”— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“among the demands are a set of “university-funded and run cultural houses, specifically a Black House, a Latinx House, and an Asian House.”... “a new ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ graduation requirement”... “the creation of a pre-orientation program specifically for incoming students of color”... “Race and Ethnic Studies Department,” a “Black Studies Academic Department,” an “African Studies Department,” a “Caribbean Studies Department,” an “Asian American Studies Program,” a “Center for African and Caribbean Studies” and a “Latinx Affairs Office””— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“Starting in 2016-2017, the program budgets for the four cultural centers will double... I will ask the committee that oversees the allocation of resources in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to devote four additional faculty positions to these areas.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“I, along with the vice presidents, deans, provosts, and other members of the administration, will receive training on recognizing and combating racism and other forms of discrimination in the academy.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“many of you have asked with renewed interest about the names of the new residential colleges as well as the name of Calhoun College.”— Statement from President Salovey: Toward a better Yale

“On his first day in office President Donald Trump honored an election campaign promise to scrap Federal DEI programs by signing an executive order titled "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing." The following day, the administration sent a memo to department heads in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) offices directing them to inform employees that they are being placed on paid leave due to the closure of the office.”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“The study examined DEI plans in different sectors of the military, including DEI office staffing and education at academies like West Point.”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“"The Founders of our nation understood and feared a politicized military. History had shown them that a politicized army easily became the tool of tyranny."”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“defending the teaching of critical race theory to Army cadets at West Point.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“Listed WAG small group materials for the 2023-2024 semester include four sessions: “Anxiety, Fragility, Discomfort,” “Understanding Intersectionality and Privilege,” “How to apologize,” and “Making mistakes when trying to be antiracist.” The group will meet four times during the current semester, one for the fourth Tuesday of each month.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“The WAG is important as an explicit opportunity for our colleagues who want to stand in solidarity with and support each other as we collectively work to become a more equitable, inclusive, and antiracist organization.”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“If you are looking to join a different affinity group, please visit our affinity groups webpage, here.”— Workforce Anti-Racism Group (WAG) - Office of Healthcare Equity

“Critics said that in light of the Labour party’s alleged inaction on anti-Black racism in the past, the unconscious bias training – that turned out to be a 20-minute online video – felt like a watered-down and performative response to racism.”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

“Such activities also promote division and inefficiency when carried out by Federal contractors. The Federal Government has long prohibited Federal contractors from engaging in race or sex discrimination and required contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that such discrimination does not occur.”— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“The Aviate Academy... is owned by United, which bought the flight training school in 2020, and is part of the airline’s goal of hiring 5,000 pilots by 2030. Airline-owned schools are common abroad, but United’s is a first for a large U.S. airline. The carrier says it wants at least half of the new pilots to be women or people of color.”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“Alaska Airlines and its regional partner, Horizon Air, unveiled a similar program in March.”— The End of the All-Male, All-White Cockpit

“That the Space Force has now relieved a unit commander for expressing his concerns about this type of education and training material within his service suggests this is no isolated case.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“According to its official statements, the new standards were designed to “encourage equitable representation on and off-screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience.””— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“the curriculum imposed on students by the Santa Barbara Unified School District.”— It’s Not ‘Identity Politics,’ It’s Anti-White Politics - ILANA MERCER

“a federal program meant to help the country’s lowest-performing schools boost student achievement.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

““We’re paying this person $130,000 a year, but what exactly do they do?””— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“even the benefits [$1057] from reduced officer injuries alone exceed the cost of training (p.39).”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

Harm Caused

Mandatory anti-bias trainings sometimes increased prejudice rather than reducing it. Experiments found that coercive pamphlets produced higher levels of anti-Black prejudice compared with control groups. Participants in mandatory programs reported greater anger, resistance, and more racist attitudes afterward. These outcomes contradicted the assumption that the trainings would reliably diminish discriminatory behavior. ^[3]

White male millennials entering the workforce around 2014 faced documented shifts in hiring patterns. The share of white men in lower-level TV writers rooms fell from 48 percent in 2011 to 11.9 percent by 2024. At The Atlantic, the newsroom went from 53 percent male and 89 percent white in 2013 to 36 percent male and 66 percent white in 2024. Harvard's humanities tenure-track positions saw white men decline from 39 percent in 2014 to 18 percent in 2023. Some observers described these changes as creating a cohort of counterrevolutionaries with lasting grievances. ^[2]

Financial and institutional costs accumulated without clear evidence of improved outcomes. Universities such as Michigan spent tens of millions annually on DEI staff and programs, contributing to tuition increases. The implicit bias training sector grew into a multi-million-dollar industry based on measures with low predictive power for behavior. Diverse hires in publishing reported high attrition linked to perceived microaggressions, low pay, and pressure to self-modify, with several Black women in prominent roles leaving or being removed. ^[11][13][21]

Broader societal effects included chilling impacts on speech and rising self-censorship. Surveys found that training participants became more fearful of reputational damage and less willing to express views on topics such as immigration or gender. Conservatives in left-leaning workplaces reported heavy self-censorship. Hate crime reports against multiple groups, including Blacks, Jews, LGBTQ people, Arabs, and Latinos, increased over 15 years even as anti-racism programs expanded. Trigger warnings were linked to increased anticipatory anxiety and the removal of challenging material from courses, potentially reducing educational depth. ^[6][7][9]

▶ Supporting Quotes (67)

“With an adversarial collaboration team, we have just published a paper that evaluated the effectiveness of such DEI programmes... We found there’s no evidence. And many of the anti-bias trainings haven’t been evaluated.”— “Focus like a laser on merit!”

“This particular attempt at revolution has created a cadre of potential counterrevolutionaries with a clear material grievance against the entire system, especially against its claims to moral superiority on issues related to race.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“This isn’t a story about all white men. It’s a story about white male millennials in professional America, about those who stayed, and who (mostly) stayed quiet.”— People Are Getting Tired of Discrimination - Even Against White Men

“the pamphlet with the then-current anti-prejudice messages—the more coercive approach—actually increased prejudice compared to doing nothing at all.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Hate crimes in the U.S. have surged over the past 15 years, targeting Black people, Jews, LGBTQ folks, Arabs, Latinos, pretty much every protected group you can name. The same pattern shows up in Canada”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Those who have taken diversity training are significantly more fearful of losing their job or reputation for what they say than those who have not;”— THE POLITICS OF THE CULTURE WARS IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA

“people who report having attended diversity training are significantly more worried about losing their jobs or reputations for present or past speech than people who have not had this training, even when controlling for partisanship and demographics. They also feel less free to share their political views on questions like immigration or transgenderism.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

“Mandatory training is particularly likely to backfire... making universities even more politically homogeneous than they already were; reducing public trust in universities.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“One thing they reliably do is increase anticipatory anxiety... If you’d genuinely be traumatized by the content of a university course, you don’t need a trigger warning; you need therapy... about a dozen of her colleagues at multiple institutions had dropped rape law from their criminal-law courses because students were complaining the material was “triggering.””— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“By contributing to a misguided safety-and-security model of education, trigger warnings ultimately deprive all students of the most powerful learning opportunities.”— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“Critics from both the Right and, increasingly, the Left charge DEI with indoctrinating students, repressing alternative viewpoints and undermining academic values… Moreover, in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks, many have also criticized DEI for helping to cultivate antisemitism… contributes to self-censorship, conformity and exclusion.”— Reforming DEI

“implicit bias training... has become a multi-million dollar industry.”— Why Implicit Bias Training Doesn't Work

“seeing the damage this kind of thing has done there - making universities even more politically homogeneous than they already were; reducing public trust in universities”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“In a 2018 survey of 200 publishing professionals conducted by People of Color in Publishing and Latinx in Publishing, 73 percent of respondents said they had experienced microaggressions at work, and 61 percent said they modified their speech, dress, hair, or other characteristics to fit into the workplace culture... Several Black women who stepped into high-profile roles at various publishers in the diversity push have since resigned, been dismissed, or been laid off. Baker’s own position at Amistad was eliminated in 2022.”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“Books on the Holocaust, histories of feminism, civil rights and racism, and Maya Angelou's famous autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," were among the nearly 400 volumes removed... "Memorializing the Holocaust,"... "Half American," about African Americans in World War II”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“Uncivil actions disrupt the workplace! Why don't we think before we hit the enter button? ... a quick social media post can lead to hurt feelings and lots of lost jobs (maybe even a lawsuit or two).”— Accelerate Inclusion & Belonging in Your Workplace

“He added that a university with an average DEI staff of 45 people – along with the costs of diversity initiatives – can involve tens of millions of dollars per year. ... "It's become a very expensive part of the university's bureaucracy," he continued. "Faculty have been concerned for a long time about administrative bloat in higher education. When you look at the cost of college over the last 10, 20, 30, 40 years, college tuition fees have gone up more than any other consumer product, good or service."”— Top DEI staff at public universities pocket massive salaries as experts question motives of initiatives

“And it is how it is how Trump Republicans are made.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“Budgets for these departments tend to "magically dry up" once public attention about the topic in question wanes, or they typically get hit early in any tech company's rounds of layoffs. For those staffers who somehow remain, Sarkeesian suggested that the aforementioned points of DEI resistance lead to "quick burnout"”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“Using the FOIA, I found that BBC News will never reach its aspirational 12.5% BME target. Yet in April 2010 only two of the seventy-four senior managers were BME. The UK is now 14% non-white.”— Still hideously white?

“I gave people my thoughts on non-BME stories and how I was not listened to, that's not fair. That's stereotyping.”— Still hideously white?

“Actively work with organisations to identify and understand their histories, understand its legacies and to make an honest appraisal of slavery, colonialism and racial inequality - unlocking the hurt caused.”— Anti-racism at National Museums Liverpool

“As we explain in a new report, the administration’s 25 plans will implement discrimination as the official policy of the executive branch; make the government much less efficient; award contracts to uncompetitive bidders, thereby wasting taxpayer money, impair national defense, and further hamper the drive for excellence—or even adequacy—in the nation’s schools.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“Trump officials and members of the Department of Justice will meet with different agencies monthly to evaluate how ongoing DEI programs are allegedly discriminating against Americans.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“Secretary of Transportation and IOP Pritzker Fellow Pete Buttigieg joined a panel for University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics to discuss the recent election loss for Democrats.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“Budgets for these departments tend to "magically dry up" once public attention about the topic in question wanes, or they typically get hit early in any tech company's rounds of layoffs. For those staffers who somehow remain, Sarkeesian suggested that the aforementioned points of DEI resistance lead to "quick burnout".”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“There is no glass ceiling. It is worse than that: there is a Berlin Wall when it comes to BMEs climbing the career ladder.”— Still hideously white?

“Some former and current BME BBC colleagues won’t speak because they remain scared of being singled out for retribution. They look at the bravery of Miriam O’Reilly, who successfully sued the BBC for age discrimination.”— Still hideously white?

“The Army fell short of its target by 25 percent last year. The Army expects to end up about 15,000 short of its target of 65,000 recruits for 2023. Last year only 9 percent of young people ages 16-21 said they would consider military service, according to Pentagon data, sliding 13 percent from before the pandemic.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

“Around 23 percent of soldiers registered as obese in 2021, according to a recent study of data from the Military Health System Data Repository. More than half (56 percent) of American 18 to 25-year-olds are overweight or obese, according to Johns Hopkins researchers, meaning they can't enlist. Fitness within the army is also at crisis point, with generals terming it a threat to national security.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

“five white male officers were bypassed for promotions to captain and lieutenant in favor of non-white male candidates. The lawsuit claims the five officers had higher civil-service exam scores than the candidates they were passed over for.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“'It's a very different place from what it used to be, when the games were better and we left politics out of it.'”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“Oklahoma’s Republican Governor defunded all DEI programmes within state agencies, including public universities, in an executive order.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“Philly schools have hundreds of positions still unfilled on a permanent basis months into the school year and another 1,100 teachers with emergency certifications, meaning they are not fully qualified in the subjects or grade levels they are teaching.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

““That speaks to how educators of color experience their colleagues and supervisors,” he said.”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“Identify and make efforts to remove bias in their teaching materials, assignments, curriculum, and resource allocation.”— Culturally2023 Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines

“routed billions of dollars toward advancing this ideology throughout American society.”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“Tens of thousands of undergraduates have completed bias training. Thousands of instructors have been trained in inclusive teaching.”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“District Judge Steven Grimberg also ordered her to pay restitution of $4.98 million to Facebook, and another $121,000 to Nike. ... Meta lost more than $4.5 million "in addition to other expenses, such as attorney's fees”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“A former Facebook global diversity strategist stole more than $4 million from the social media giant "to fund a lavish lifestyle"”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“some CEOs are feeling like they didn't hire well for these roles, bringing on people with civil rights backgrounds instead of more corporate expertise”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“That suit settled in late 2022”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“The change comes as DEI programs and initiatives across the country are facing increasing attacks from critics and Republican lawmakers.”— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“Perkins Coie’s racially discriminatory fellowship program”— Perkins Coie DEI Suit Ended by Anti-Affirmative Action Group (1)

“Current racial discrimination in order to remedy past racial discrimination is wrong generally, but is downright dangerous in medicine.”— All but two of top 25 medical schools require critical race theory training

“DiAngelo charges speaking and session fees of $12,750-$14,000, and has substantially increased her profile Floyd's death. She has made an estimate of $2 million from her bestselling book, and owns three homes collectively worth more than $1.5 million.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“"There’s a culture of fear within the military now," Bishop said. "On the one hand, it’s okay to cheer on Black Lives Matter [on a military base], but if you speak out against this Marxist ideology you’ll be relieved of your duties."”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“"The military’s long history of standing above politics has made it one of the most respected institutions in America and enabled our armed forces to both defend the Homeland and serve as one of the bulwarks of our constitutional order," wrote Rep. Matt Rosendale (R., Mont.). "That legacy is now in jeopardy."”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

““It was divisive, in my opinion,” said the caller... “Me as a white parent in P.S. 199, I am not part of your constituency — my family, my children.””— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“Rather than calling for unity, they demand racially divided lines in virtually every facet of the college experience. Separate but equal is not equal, except when allegedly marginalized groups self-marginalize, it would seem.”— Univ. of Chicago Students Issue Outrageous, Racially Charged Demands to UC Officials

“signing an executive order titled "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing." ... directing them to inform employees that they are being placed on paid leave due to the closure of the office.”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“"At worst they communicate the opposite of the military ethos: e.g. that individual demographic differences come before team and mission." The study comes as some branches of the military continue to struggle with recruiting new service members.”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“success in combat depends on cohesion and competence, and that critical race theory would destroy that. What would our military be like if Marines were taught to assess their fellow marines' trustworthiness or capability based on the color of their skin?”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“‘From a personal perspective, if someone blames their unconscious bias for something, it makes me feel as though they are actually not recognising their part in a wider system that is putting me at a disadvantage,’ says Bilal.”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

“Research also suggests that blame-focused diversity training reinforces biases and decreases opportunities for minorities. Instructing Federal employees that treating individuals on the basis of individual merit is racist or sexist directly undermines our Merit System Principles and impairs the efficiency of the Federal service. Similarly, our Uniformed Services should not teach our heroic men and women in uniform the lie that the country for which they are willing to die is fundamentally racist. Such teachings could directly threaten the cohesion and effectiveness of our Uniformed Services.”— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“Imposing anti-American racial ideologies on our troops directly threatens our national security, by spreading ideas that undermine confidence in the principles underpinning our Constitution, trust in our system of government and traditional values that promote unity, cohesion and equality among service members.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“With only a handful of the same Black names garnering nominations, the pool of Black talent celebrated is actually smaller than what it appears. While in today’s movie climate the quantity of nonwhite images has undoubtedly improved, it is the quality of such roles that remain problematic.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

““JCCC’s discriminatory curriculum has led to increased racial animosity toward Caucasian teachers and students,” ... American kids can barely read properly or speak and write grammatically.”— It’s Not ‘Identity Politics,’ It’s Anti-White Politics - ILANA MERCER

“the positive effects of diversity training rarely last beyond a day or two, and a number of studies suggest that it can activate bias or spark a backlash”— Diversity Training Goals, Limitations, and Promise: A Review of the Multidisciplinary Literature

“the number of female and non-white managers actually fell at most firms after diversity training exercises were mandated”— Why Doesnt Diversity Training Work? The Challenge for Industry and Academia

“student achievement at Glassbrook has fallen, prompting some teachers to question whether the money was well spent given the needs of the students, who are predominantly low-income. Two-thirds of the students are English learners and more than 80% are Hispanic/Latino.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“These are kids in an exceptionally vulnerable situation. Many of them are immigrants, and, given their age, they really have only one shot at a decent education during this crucial developmental window.”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“Bilkszto fell into a mental health crisis so bad that he had to spend more than a month away from work — for which he won a successful workers’ compensation claim for lost earnings.”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“the TDSB [Toronto District School Board] further refused to reinstate him to the role he was in prior to taking leave; it also revoked a work contract he had been awarded for the upcoming year. Finally, the board disinvited him from attending a graduation ceremony.”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“the authors indicated the data were proprietary and did not share any of it. So, neither replication nor reanalysis of existing data, science's usual defenses against wrong conclusions, are available here.”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

“two findings described as focal in the paper (but not in the pre-registration), are p = .048 and p = .051... That's how p-hacking works. We cherry pick among defensible specifications.”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

Downfall

Evidence challenging the assumption accumulated through meta-analyses and replications beginning in the 2010s. A 2011 study and its replication showed that coercive anti-racism messages increased prejudice relative to controls, while intrinsic motivation reduced it. Sociologists Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev documented how mandatory diversity programs provoked resistance and more negative attitudes. These findings suggested that the trainings could backfire rather than reliably reduce bias. ^[3]

Research on implicit bias measures revealed limitations that called their practical utility into question. Oswald and colleagues' 2013 meta-analysis found weak correlations with behavior. Forscher and colleagues' 2019 analysis showed that changes in implicit scores did not translate into behavioral changes. Longitudinal data indicated low test-retest reliability, worse than for explicit measures. Even one of the Implicit Association Test's creators described some remedies as snake oil. A 2023 Annual Review of Psychology concluded there was thin evidence that such trainings reduced prejudice. ^[5][8][11]

Political and legal developments accelerated scrutiny after 2020. The 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race-based admissions, combined with conservative lawsuits and Donald Trump's 2024 electoral victory, prompted corporate retreats such as Walmart's rollback of certain programs. Pete Buttigieg publicly acknowledged that Democratic rhetoric on diversity had alienated voters. Universities faced growing criticism over costs and lack of demonstrated benefits, with some leaders calling for reform of simplistic identity-based approaches. ^[13][22]

Institutional reversals followed. The Trump administration issued executive orders eliminating federal DEI mandates and directing reviews of military academy materials, leading to the removal of hundreds of books from the Naval Academy library. Surveys showed majority opposition to certain practices, with cancel culture ranking as a top issue for many Republicans. These events reflected the emerging expert questions about whether the trainings achieved their stated goals of reducing bias and discriminatory behavior. ^[19][25]

▶ Supporting Quotes (65)

“We didn't believe the results at first, so we ran a second study and replicated the same pattern: positive effects for the intrinsic approach, but a clear backfiring effect”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“We didn't believe the results at first, so we ran a second study and replicated the same pattern: positive effects for the intrinsic approach, but a clear backfiring effect for what we might now recognize (by today’s standards) as mild anti-racism messaging.”— When Good Intentions Alienate: The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Racist Zeal

“Recent meta-analytic reviews suggest that the Implicit Association Test is a ‘poor’ predictor of behavior (Oswald et al. 2013)”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“changes in scores on implicit measures may not be associated with changes in behavior (Forscher, Lai, et al., 2019).”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“This instability—a reflection of ‘test-retest’ reliability—is particularly pronounced on implicit measures of racial attitudes.”— Understanding Implicit Bias: Putting the Criticism into Perspective

“Heavier social media users are significantly more woke, even controlling for ideology, age, and numerous other factors;”— THE POLITICS OF THE CULTURE WARS IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA

“Republicans have an incentive to highlight culture-war issues, as arguably took place in Glenn Youngkin’s Virginia gubernatorial campaign.”— The Politics of the Culture Wars in Contemporary America

““[H]undreds of studies dating back to the 1930s suggest that antibias training does not reduce bias, alter behavior or change the workplace.” Even Anthony Greenwald, co-creator of the Implicit Association Test (IAT), agrees that implicit bias training is ineffective: “There’s no evidence that anything like that works. Those cures are of the snake oil variety.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“According to the gold-standard meta-analysis on the topic, neither side is! ... “you should never do anything that doesn’t work, period, even if it doesn’t do harm. If it’s not actively helping, encouraging its use would essentially be engaging in clinical pseudoscience.””— 10 Arguments Against Trigger Warnings

“interventions that research shows don’t work and may even make things worse (e.g., mandatory diversity training; implicit bias training; trigger warnings)… The Brauer Group Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has put together an excellent online resource summarizing evidence on which diversity-and-inclusion measures work and which don’t.”— Reforming DEI

“The evidence [for implicit prejudice reduction] is thin. Together with the lack of evidence for diversity training, these studies do not justify the enthusiasm with which implicit prejudice reduction trainings have been received in the world over the past decade. -Elizabeth Paluck et al. (2023, Annual Review of Psychology).”— Why Implicit Bias Training Doesn't Work

“Expert review: Prejudice-reduction interventions have little or no effect after correcting for publication bias.”— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“Even Anthony Greenwald, co-creator of the Implicit Association Test (IAT), agrees that implicit bias training is ineffective: “There’s no evidence that anything like that works. Those cures are of the snake oil variety.””— Feedback on DEI Plans at My University

“In 2023, the Supreme Court ended race-conscious admissions in higher education. Following that decision, conservative groups began targeting corporate DEI programs with lawsuits. In November 2024, after Donald Trump’s election win, Walmart... announced a major rollback of its DEI policies... coincide with a downturn in sales for children’s books, and an onslaught of demands to remove books featuring characters of color”— Gaining Ground? Diversity in Publishing

“Pentagon leaders, however, turned their attention to the Naval Academy last week when a media report noted that the school had not removed books promoting DEI. A U.S. official said the academy was told late last week to conduct the review and removal.”— Holocaust book, Maya Angelou's autobiography among nearly 400 items pulled from Naval Academy library in DEI purge

“President Trump signed executive orders Monday and Tuesday that aim to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“Secretary of Transportation and IOP Pritzker Fellow Pete Buttigieg joined a panel for University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics to discuss the recent election loss for Democrats. BUTTIGIEG: And we cannot go on like that.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“"It seems that DEI has been co-opted by the powerful to become a shield against criticism and real change."”— DEI is DOA: What's really failing inside the game industry's diversity efforts

“what my research from figures obtained under Freedom of Information has shown is that there is no glass ceiling. It is worse than that: there is a Berlin Wall when it comes to BMEs climbing the career ladder.”— Still hideously white?

“after President Trump signed an executive order to remove “any preference based on race or sex” from the military.”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“in response to orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to remove books containing DEI-related content”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“a West Point official also told the AP that it was prepared to review both curriculum and library materials if directed to do so by the Army.”— 400 Books Removed From Naval Academy Library

“These types of racial quotas are not only forbidden by law, but they are reprehensible and overwhelmingly opposed by the public.”— Biden Administration Implements a Racial Spoils System

“A number of major U.S. employers including Meta, McDonald's and Walmart have wound down their diversity programs following a 2023 Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action in college admissions, and under pressure from conservative political activists.”— Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave

“And we cannot go on like that. We cannot.”— Pete Buttigieg: The Way Democrats Talk About Diversity "Is How Trump Republicans Are Made"

“What my research from figures obtained under Freedom of Information has shown is that there is no glass ceiling. It is worse than that: there is a Berlin Wall when it comes to BMEs climbing the career ladder.”— Still hideously white?

“The brazen posts - by uniformed troops on US bases - represent an audacious challenge to top brass amid a recruitment crisis.”— Army faces 'TikTok mutiny' as Gen Z recruits whine about FITNESS TESTS

“On Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, America First Legal (AFL) announced a federal class-action lawsuit against the city, Philadelphia Police and senior law enforcement officials who implemented Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) hiring and promotion policies within the department.”— Lawsuit accuses Philly of denying promotions for 5 white police officers

“A new report from the far-left Human Rights Campaign shows a remarkable shift: a 65% drop in Fortune 500 companies publicly communicating commitments to diversity and inclusion initiatives... The Federal Trade Commission reportedly sent letters to 42 of the largest and most profitable law firms”— Corporate America has decided that DEI needs to DIE

“Former Blizzard designer Mark Kern posted an allegedly leaked internal document... 'Activision DEI Leaked! Plus: - Your bonus and review depend on how hard you DEI.'”— Game developer Activision Blizzard accused of hosting 'struggle sessions' for white developers to discuss their 'privilege'

“By autumn 2023 the centre was mired in scandal, as it suddenly laid off more than half of its staff.”— The DEI industry’s most notorious grifters

“The Thomas More Society described the settlement as a ‘triumph.'”— Pennsylvania changes culturally responsive teaching guidelines, raising concerns

“public polling data indicate that Americans support a colorblind society over a race-conscious one by a nearly 70-to-20 margin.”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“I have experience implementing such a policy as a trustee at New College of Florida, where we became the first institution in America to abolish the DEI department.”— The Coming Fight to Abolish DEI

“The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?”— The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?

“Meta previously told CNBC that the company cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation of Furlow-Smiles”— Former Facebook and Nike diversity manager gets 5 years in prison for $5 million fraud

“Furlow-Smiles, who was not Facebook's top DEI executive, pled guilty in Atlanta federal court on Monday. ... Meta provided assistance and cooperation with the criminal investigation, prosecutors said.”— Former Facebook diversity strategist pleads guilty to stealing more than $4 million from company

“The backlash is real... CEOs are literally putting the brakes on this DE&I work... many have been filed over these programs, more than 20 by Miller's America First Legal.”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“But they're less likely to use those initials... "You can kind of get your programs growing," without using the letters”— "The backlash is real": Behind DEI’s rise and fall

“The US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be dissolved as part of the government spending bill that passed Friday, the office’s director said in a statement Friday... The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will close effective Monday”— US House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to be disbanded as part of government spending bill | CNN Politics

“A US civil rights agency finds itself in a difficult position after getting hit by requests”— Corporate Diversity Complaints Place EEOC in Thorny Spot

“On the way in: Softer, vaguer terms designed to avoid controversy — or, as often as not, no terms at all.”— Citi and Uber Delete ‘Anti-Racist’ Language From Their Filings

“The lawsuit’s dismissal comes two days after Perkins argued the suit was “moot” because of the fellowship program changes.”— Perkins Coie DEI Suit Ended by Anti-Affirmative Action Group (1)

“Update: Coca Cola's press team has provided an official response to an inquiry from Fox News journalist Peter J. Hasson, denying that DiAngelo's training session is part of their curriculum.”— WOKE-A-COLA: Coca-Cola reportedly forces employees to ‘try to be less white’ in ‘white fragility’ workshop

“Troubled by an influx of critical race theory into the military, a coalition of veterans and congressional Republicans are demanding the Pentagon stop placating left-wing activists and focus on national defense.”— Vets Battle Critical Race Theory Invasion of Military

“NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza (pictured on April 25) apologized Monday for retweeting a news report about parents opposing the integration of schools on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which contained an inflammatory headline.”— Schools chancellor tells parent to take anti-bias lessons

“DoD Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a note he shared on X last Sunday, "DoD ≠ DEI," adding, "No exceptions, name-changes, or delays. Those who do not comply will no longer work here."”— Jasmine Crockett mocks 'mediocre white boys' complaining about DEI

“"The surest way to eliminate the concerning trends we have identified, and the growth of race and sex-based scapegoating and stereotyping in the U.S. military, is to altogether end the DEI bureaucracy there"”— University study: 'Vast DEI bureaucracy' negatively impacting U.S. Armed Forces

“Here's an exchange between Gilday and Congressman Jim Banks in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee.”— Critical Race Theory in the Military

“whose Center for Antiracism Research came under fire in the fall for laying off more minorities than white employees.”— University of Washington Medicine's 'White Anti-Racism Group' teaches 'antiracism' from a 'whiteness perspective'

“‘Unconscious bias training as a standalone solution is unlikely to tackle all the diversity woes in an organisation,’ says Nic.”— Is 'unconscious bias' just a convenient way to avoid acknowledging racism?

“Therefore, it shall be the policy of the United States not to promote race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating in the Federal workforce or in the Uniformed Services, and not to allow grant funds to be used for these purposes. In addition, Federal contractors will not be permitted to inculcate such views in their employees.”— Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

“The firing has served one useful purpose, however: It has drawn attention to the administration’s apparent intent to introduce wrong-headed and highly inflammatory Marxist ideologies into military ranks.”— The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All

“But six years after #OscarsSoWhite, the Academy is still struggling to diversify the Hollywood film industry – perhaps a simple lack of imagination is to blame.”— The Oscars Still So White Despite Efforts To Diversify Hollywood

“the litigant, a Republican candidate for California attorney general, had a hard time coming out with it.”— It’s Not ‘Identity Politics,’ It’s Anti-White Politics - ILANA MERCER

“two years into the three-year contract with Woke Kindergarten, a for-profit company, student achievement at Glassbrook has fallen, prompting some teachers to question whether the money was well spent”— ‘Woke Kindergarten’ Is Capitalism At Work

“these workers are now being laid off, and the hiring climate appears to have cooled considerably. Overall, companies are simply souring on this position.”— Of Course DEI Programming Should Be Seen As Psychological Interventions And Held To The Appropriate Standards

“having spent a few of hours comparing the pre-registration with the published results, I think the findings are not really statistically significant... Specification Curve Analysis ... to analyze them jointly and assess whether ... there is a significant effect.”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

“this variable is not significant for months 5-8 (p=.658) and has an effect 60% as big, but with the opposite sign, on months [9-12], p=.162 (source: their Figure II).”— [122] Arresting Flexibility: A QJE field experiment on police behavior with about 40 outcome variables - Data Colada

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ID: FA-20260209-3687d28a · Created: 2026-02-09T21:43:15.627338 · Schema v3