Dem
51
GOP
49
Programs that foster D.E.I. (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) are all the rage on the left, especially at universities, but also to some extent in companies, as they discover that some of the people they previously ignored are actually very good. Any organization that pushes D.E.I. hard is effectively going to discriminate against white men. Hiring is generally a zero-sum game, after all. Not surprisingly, D.E.I. has led to a backlash.
In about one-third of the states, state legislatures are working on laws limiting D.E.I. in state and local government organizations, including K-12 schools and higher education. Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Utah have already passed such laws, with more to come from states under Republican control. University systems in Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, and North Carolina have already scrapped diversity statements for employment candidates. Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) has signed an executive order banning programs that grant preferential status to anyone based on their race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. A while back, laws banned discrimination against people based on these criteria. Now that has flipped 180 degrees.
A common approach is to ban all D.E.I. offices that aren't necessary to comply with federal law. This also implies eliminating all staff positions dealing with these issues. Sometimes the laws ban using D.E.I. in training programs, employment, and financial decisions. In some cases, the laws specify that merit is the only allowed criteria for hiring someone.
However, in blue states, the reverse is true. Some of them have passed laws requiring or expanding D.E.I. programs. These include Oregon, Maryland, and Washington. It's just a new front in the ever-present culture wars. (V)