Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – The magical cure for all public relations problems. Three words which when put together, form a powerful incantation that is whispered in boardrooms and etched onto corporate mission statements with the reverence of a holy text. It’s a glorious, all-encompassing initiative that HR has, which with breathtaking
efficiency, is reduced to a single, easily quantifiable, and utterly soul-crushing goal: hiring more women. Across the board, DEI is being distilled down to this single, glorious, and universally agreed-upon metric. Nothing says “we’re committed to systemic change” quite like reconfiguring your HR department to become a full-service headhunting agency for anyone who has ever owned a handbag.
The true genius of this strategy is its simplicity. Why wrestle with the nuanced intricacies of intersectionality, the historical baggage of systemic oppression, or the uncomfortable reality that your company’s culture is as
welcoming as a porcupine at a balloon party? That’s too much work....
