If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed a pattern: Every time conservatives want to stir up their base, they pick a topic, distort the facts, and use fear to rally their followers. Right now, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is the latest target.
They claim DEI is just “Affirmative Action 2.0”—but that’s not true. DEI and Affirmative Action are not the same thing. The only thing they have in common is that right-wing extremists want them both gone.
Affirmative Action: What It Was and What Happened to It
For decades, Affirmative Action was a policy used in college admissions and hiring to correct past discrimination by considering race, gender, or other factors. It was never about “handouts” or “lowering standards”—it was about ensuring qualified candidates from historically marginalized groups actually had a fair shot.
But the right spent years attacking Affirmative Action, pushing the false narrative that it was about “discrimination against white people.” That message made it all the way to the Supreme Court, which finally struck down race-conscious admissions in 2023.
And here’s the kicker: Despite this ruling, the racial wealth gap, hiring discrimination, and systemic barriers haven’t magically disappeared. Affirmative Action wasn’t the problem—the systems that kept certain groups at the top and others shut out were. But instead of fixing those systems, conservatives just made sure they stayed intact.
DEI: The New Right-Wing Boogeyman
With Affirmative Action out of the way, Republicans have a new villain: DEI.
Unlike Affirmative Action, DEI is not a policy or a legal mandate. It’s a framework for making workplaces, schools, and organizations more fair, diverse, and inclusive.
Here’s what DEI actually means:
Diversity – Having people of different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in a space.
Equity – Making sure everyone has access to the same opportunities, not just those who already have a head start.
Inclusion – Creating an environment where those diverse voices aren’t just present—they’re valued and heard.
Sounds reasonable, right? Well, not to Trump and his allies.
Trump’s War on DEI
The GOP, led by Trump, is on a mission to erase DEI completely. He and his allies claim that DEI is “racist” against white people and argue that it forces “woke” ideology onto companies and schools. His 2025 agenda is clear:
Ban DEI in federal programs
Defund universities that prioritize DEI
Go after corporations that promote DEI in hiring
Trump isn’t even hiding his plan—he’s openly bragging that he will wipe DEI out.
Let’s be real: DEI isn’t about exclusion. It’s about making sure workplaces, schools, and businesses aren’t just catering to the same privileged groups they always have. But to Trump and the right, any attempt to create a fairer system is a threat.
Why This Matters
The attack on DEI and Affirmative Action is about one thing: power. The right-wing elite doesn’t want a fairer system because they benefit from the old one. They rely on misinformation to convince everyday Americans that DEI is their enemy when in reality, it’s the very thing that could create a system that works for all of us.
The Bottom Line
- Affirmative Action was a policy meant to correct past discrimination.
- DEI is a framework to create fair and inclusive workplaces and schools.
- Trump and his allies are waging war on both—not because they care about fairness, but because they want to maintain power.
They want you to believe diversity is a threat. They want you to be scared of words like “equity.” But don’t be fooled—this isn’t about protecting anyone. It’s about keeping control.
It’s time to fight back against the lies. Share this, speak up, and don’t let them erase progress.