If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you’ve probably seen the latest push to dismantle DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs—painting them as unfair, unnecessary, or even harmful. You’ve probably heard talking points about how DEI gives “special treatment” to certain people, forces companies to hire based on race instead of qualifications, or is some kind of “woke agenda.”
And I get why some people might believe it without looking any further. If you only listen to the loudest voices, it sounds like DEI is some political stunt rather than what it actually is: a necessary effort to fix a system that has never been fair in the first place.
I’m asking—pleading—with you to stop and think about what the government wants you to believe about DEI—and why they’re working so hard to make you fear it.
I have a close friend who has dedicated her career to DEI work, and seeing what’s happening right now is beyond disheartening. The progress that’s been made—the small, hard-fought changes that have helped level the playing field even a little—is being dismantled before our eyes. And the worst part? It’s happening because people are being fed a false narrative.
So before you dismiss DEI as unnecessary or “reverse discrimination,” I just want you to sit with a few truths.
1. If Hiring Was Always Fair, DEI Wouldn’t Have Been Necessary in the First Place
If jobs were always given to the most qualified person, explain to me why workplaces were overwhelmingly white and male for decades.
No, really—think about it. Was every single white man in those positions the absolute best possible candidate? Or was it that hiring decisions, whether intentional or not, favored people from a certain background, a certain network, a certain “type”?
DEI isn’t about forcing companies to hire unqualified people. It’s about ensuring that qualified people who have historically been overlooked finally get a fair shot.
📌 Something to Think About: The NFL’s Rooney Rule
The NFL had an embarrassing track record when it came to hiring Black head coaches. For decades, Black coaches were rarely even considered for the job, despite their experience. So in 2003, the Rooney Rule was introduced—it didn’t require teams to hire a minority candidate, just to interview one.
And you know what happened?
• Teams actually started looking at Black coaches they had previously ignored.
• More Black coaches were hired—not because they were forced to, but because teams finally acknowledged their talent.
DEI is not about lowering the bar—it’s about removing the unnecessary obstacles that have kept talented people out of the running.
2. DEI Doesn’t Create an Unfair Advantage—It Works to Undo the Unfairness That Already Exists
One of the biggest arguments against DEI is that it’s “reverse discrimination.” That giving more opportunities to marginalized groups somehow takes away opportunities from others.
But ask yourself this: If you’ve always had the privilege of not worrying about these things—if you’ve never once thought, Will my name on a résumé make someone less likely to call me back? or Will they take me seriously if I show up to the interview wearing my natural hair?—then maybe the system was already working in your favor.
DEI isn’t about flipping the scales to give anyone an unfair advantage. It’s about ensuring that race, gender, or background isn’t the reason someone doesn’t get an opportunity they’ve earned.
📌 Something to Think About: Orchestra Blind Auditions
For years, major symphony orchestras were overwhelmingly male. People believed men were just naturally better musicians. But then orchestras started blind auditions—where musicians played behind a curtain so judges couldn’t see them.
The result? Women started getting hired 50% more often.
Did women suddenly become better musicians overnight? Of course not. They were always good enough. They just weren’t being judged fairly.
That’s what DEI does. It removes bias—not creates it.
3. DEI Isn’t Just About Race—It’s About Who Gets Access to Opportunity
One of the biggest misconceptions about DEI is that it’s only about race. But DEI policies also help people who face barriers due to:
• Disability
• Gender
• Socioeconomic background
• Age
• LGBTQ+ identity
Think about how many brilliant minds have been shut out of opportunities simply because they didn’t come from the right zip code, didn’t have the financial means to take an unpaid internship, or didn’t “look the part.”
DEI challenges the idea that success is purely based on “hard work.” Because let’s be honest—hard work matters, but so does access. And not everyone has been given the same access.
📌 Something to Think About: Why Diverse Companies Perform Better
A McKinsey & Company study found that:
• Companies in the top quartile for racial diversity are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors financially.
• Gender-diverse companies? 21% more profitable.
Why? Because when you bring in different backgrounds and perspectives, you get better solutions, better innovation, and better outcomes.
So if DEI is so bad, why does the data show that diverse teams actually perform better?
So Why Am I Writing This?
I know some people will roll their eyes and say, “Why is a fragrance brand talking about DEI?”
Because my business isn’t some faceless corporation—it’s me. And I believe that if you have a platform, you should use it.
I’m not an expert on DEI, and I’m not here to give you a deep-dive academic analysis. That’s not the point of this post. My goal is simple: to get you to question what your beliefs, to sit with the discomfort, and to start thinking critically about why DEI is under attack.
Because the truth is, the people working the hardest to destroy DEI are the ones who have always benefited from a system that wasn’t fair to begin with.
So before you repeat the same talking points being fed to you by the current administration, before you dismiss DEI as unnecessary or unfair—just ask yourself:
Who actually benefits if DEI disappears?
And more importantly—who loses?