Ban on Diversity Hiring
Written in response to: https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/Pages/texas-bans-diversity-hiring.aspx
What a lovely thing to read in a recent newsletter from the Society of Human Resources during Black History Month. Or in any month, for that matter.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent out a memo to certain businesses to halt DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives), claiming that the initiatives "violate federal and state anti-discrimination laws, and hiring cannot be based on factors other than merit."
Other than merit.
It's those microagressions swinging back up like an allergy dust storm of hate. When people, especially those in power, talk about how we need to hire through merit alone, they say so with a belief that all people are on fair playing ground, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation or gender. In fact, these are the same folks who claim they don't see such barriers, that they don't see color, for instance.
As this article touches on, DE&I and affirmative action are not the same. DE&I policies are not in place to give marginalized groups in the workforce a leg up or opportunity where they otherwise may not be able or allowed to have. DE&I policies tackle inclusive behavior and a collaborative mindset that studies have shown increases productivity due to lower groupthink, diverse thought, and growing staff to customer reflection.
Yet this is not the first time we've seen DE&I seen as a threat to white men, as the article explains. As the cycle goes, there will be another killing of an unarmed Black person, then protests in the streets, maybe another blackout on Instagram "in solidarity," and then more legislature passed to make sure we know that power has not been relinquished after all. Thanks for being so predictable, Texas.
