Once a noble initiative designed to level the playing field in workplaces, universities, and the entertainment industry, “DEI” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is now being turned into a weapon. Once a symbol of progress, it is quickly becoming a racial slur, used to mock and discredit people simply for being hired or promoted in the name of diversity.
At the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, critics were quick to label the entire performance a “DEI spectacle,” complaining that the show’s diversity of performers somehow undermined the quality of the entertainment. Rather than celebrating a multicultural celebration filled with easter eggs of symbolism, the event was reduced to a punchline, with detractors calling it a “DEI show” that catered to political correctness rather than talent.
But the backlash does not stop there. The term “DEI hire” has become the new insult of choice, aimed at discrediting anyone from pilots to professors who were selected as part of diversity efforts. Recently, after an airline hired a woman of color as a pilot, online trolls wasted no time ridiculing her as a “DEI hire,” implying that her qualifications were secondary to her race. The same happened with a pilot with braids in his hair and a grill in his mouth.
As a middle school teacher, I recently shared one of my lessons on X (formerly Twitter), focusing on a nonfiction unit aligned with academic standards. However, the response I received was unexpected. Some online critics quickly labeled it a “DEI lesson,” possibly because it referenced a rapper. Despite the lesson being rooted in educational objectives and standards, some viewers were quick to reduce it to a tokenized example of diversity, dismissing its academic value. This kind of reaction has become all too familiar, as any inclusion of diverse perspectives is now often met with suspicion and derision.
This kind of rhetoric is now commonplace in online forums and even at the water cooler in certain industries, where the term is used to suggest that the merit of a person’s hiring is based solely on their demographic background, not their skills or experience.
This derogatory use of DEI echoes the same kind of language used against “critical race theory” a few years ago when the term was weaponized by politicians and pundits to stoke division and fear. Now, just like CRT, DEI has been painted as something sinister — an initiative designed to elevate mediocrity over merit. The accusations are often the same: “It is all about political correctness!” they say, ignoring the fact that DEI initiatives are designed to open doors for underrepresented communities who have been shut out for decades.
The problem is, as DEI becomes increasingly weaponized in this way, it risks being completely stripped of its original meaning: creating a fairer, more inclusive society for everyone. Its transformation into a slur only deepens the divide between those who want to see change and those who fear it.
It is time we take a step back and recognize the true value of DEI — not as a political cudgel, but as a tool for justice, fairness, and representation in every corner of society. Anything less does a disservice to the very people it was created to protect.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
