The framing around dei and other anti discriminatory measures is so incredibly disingenuous.

The idea that anti discrimination executive orders/legislation are somehow discriminatory is so backwards and a blatant rewriting of history. We know that when these protections are removed the groups they protect will be over looked and disregarded regardless of their merits. It is historical fact that job/school candidates with the exact same merit based performance are treated differently when their race, religion, gender, or sexuality deviates from white, male, Christian, or heterosexual (I want to emphasize that this doesn’t mean that all people who identify with some of all of these identities are bad people or are without struggle but it is to say that these identities are typically preferred in selection processes especially if paired with some sort of higher economic status).

We know that if a hiring manager or school admissions coordinator has a candidate who they are more closely identified with their biases will always be a factor. This doesn’t make them a bad person it is a natural human inclination and because we know this is true we must account for it and combat it as much as we can.

In addition to that, the history of our nation means that certain people regardless of identity will start off in areas where school funding is lower or their over all position in life is much more difficult, making it harder for them to access the necessary tools as children and young adults to compete with those who have a better foundation.

Solely merit based consideration discounts a lot of nuances that need to be considered because while in a perfect world your work alone should speak for you that is not reality. Poor people deserve a chance, Black people deserve a chance, People of color deserve a chance, Queer people deserve a chance, disabled people deserve a chance, people who worship differently deserve a chance, everyone deserves a chance and for everyone to have a fair shot we need equity; equality cannot account for all of the different circumstances from which we all come.

Start by fixing the failing education systems which gives children different outcomes based on their parents incomes, start by fixing the college system which is unattainable for so many Americans. Maybe when the foundation is more level we can actually work towards a society where merit alone accurately represents someone’s effort.