Mediocrity Breeds Dissent
If you’re scared of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), it probably means you lack the talent to compete.
I’m not sure which mediocre straight white man was the first to describe Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI hire,” but as soon as I first heard it, I learned something: not about Harris, but about anyone who would use the phrase “DEI hire” as an attack. These folks are scared. They’re scared of people of color, they’re scared of women, they’re scared of LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, and anyone else who has been unfairly pushed to the sidelines.
They’re scared, because deep down they know that talent isn’t discernible by skin color, sex, gender, ability, first language, orientation, religion, family status, or country of origin. They know that if we could really find the most talented people in any given field, it would be a diverse group. There would be some straight white men there, but there would also be lots of other folks of every size, shape, and shade. They know that the only way their sorry mediocre selves will ever get ahead is by making sure that only straight white guys have the keys to success, that if the doors were swung open and the talent that has been so long denied entry could truly compete, they’d be toast.
Picture a mid-career straight white guy who was passed over for a promotion he desperately wanted. Then imagine the moment he discovers that a Black woman got that job.
What kind of man is this? Is he the type who wonders what he might have done differently? Does he ask what it was about her that made her a better choice for the position he sought? He’s probably disappointed; this is to be understood. But is he also curious, introspective, or clear-eyed?
Or, does he immediately decry the choice as an injustice, describe the woman who was promoted as a “DEI hire” who “stole” his job, and wallow in self-pity as the victim of a “woke” agenda?
We all know that second guy, the one who — not for a single moment — considers that a Black woman who got the job might be more educated, more experienced, better suited for leadership, or possessed of a talent that the organization really needs right now.
Reader, take a moment to consider that if you’re good at your job — no matter your mix of identities — you are likely a “DEI hire” yourself. That is, you were chosen for your role because there’s something about you that set you apart and made you unique. I dearly hope for your sake that you weren’t hired or promoted because it was “your turn” or because you were the “safe” choice.
White guys, listen up. DEI (Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion) is not anti-white, anti-man, or anti-straight. It’s pro-talent. It looks for the most talented person, no matter what they look like, sound like, or who they love. It recognizes that for far too long (and far too often, even today), talent can be overlooked because it doesn’t show up in the package we expect. It knows that our expectations are not grounded in reality, but by biases that have been created by the very people who are lashing out in fear today.
Straight white men with talent, intelligence, courage, and creativity have nothing to fear from DEI. There will always be room for them in organizations that can make use of what they have to offer. The more talent they possess, the less afraid they are of other talented people. In fact, these are the very men that will seek out folks who are just as smart, just as capable, and just as innovative as they are — because they know that collaborating with different kinds of people at the top of their game will only make them better.
Those who are scared of DEI, who want you to believe that organizations were actually better off when only straight white men ran everything, are telling you to your face that the only thing they have to offer the world is their whiteness, traditional masculinity, and heterosexuality. In every other way, they are deficient (or they suspect they are). When they rail against this and every other form of progress, their mediocrity is on full display. It’s time to see them for exactly who they are.