Is it fair to discriminate against white people in an effort to balance out historical inequities? I don’t think so. I believe racism is wrong no matter the perpetrator. This is why I was glad to hear ten Black workers at Glow Networks Inc. had been awarded $70 million after they filed a lawsuit against Glow Networks Inc for discriminatory practices. I was just as elated to learn that a Starbucks manager recently won a discrimination lawsuit. In case you missed it, these are the highlights.
Shannon Phillips, a former regional manager, was fired after two black men were arrested at a Starbucks Philadelphia branch in 2018, leading to large protests. Phillips sued Starbucks in 2019, alleging that race had been a determining factor in her termination. She claimed that Starbucks was looking for a “scapegoat” to terminate to show action was being taken following the incident involving the two black men. Phillips alleged that Starbucks retaliated against herself and another white employee in an effort to “convince the community that it had properly responded to the incident.” A federal jury in Camden, New Jersey, on June 13, 2023, awarded Phillips $600,000 in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages after finding that Starbucks violated her federal civil rights in addition to a New Jersey law that prohibits discrimination based on race.
Shannon Phillips was essentially fired for being white, in the wrong place, and at the wrong time. As shameful as that incident was, this has happened a few times in recent memory. For example, a white hospital executive said he was fired and replaced by two women as part of a diversity push. He sued and was awarded $10 million. Keith Wann, a white sign language interpreter, claims he was fired from the Broadway production of “The Lion King” because of his race. According to reports, Wann was told over email that it was “no longer appropriate to have white interpreters represent Black characters for ASL Broadway shows”. Wann sued the Theatre Development Fund for discrimination, alleging that he was fired because of his race. In November 2022, Wann was awarded $10 million in a settlement. And then there is the case in Detroit with the Wayne County airport. To quote the Detroit Free Press…
A reverse discrimination lawsuit alleges the Wayne County Airport authority has created a hostile working environment for white employees, calling them “racist” over legitimate business decisions, shutting them out of meetings, and giving preferential treatment to Black workers, job applicants and minority-owned businesses because of their race.
“The effect has been Black employees are now immune to criticism, while white employees are expected to accept their relegation to second class status or face retaliation,” states the lawsuit, which also alleges that Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport “regularly bypasses the top-rated bidder on contracts in favor of lower-rated minority owned businesses.”
Moreover, the suit alleges, the airport unlawfully uses race as the No. 1 factor “in all employment decisions.”
Further down the article it reads…
“Donerson had already harbored an obsession with race,” the lawsuit states. “But to Donerson, not only are all races not equal, certain Black employees are ‘Blacker’ than others.”
Donerson declined comment.
The lawsuit cites a meeting during which Donerson allegedly disparaged a Black co-worker who had left for another company, stating that she ” ‘wasn’t very Black.’ ”
Wood was confused by this comment, so Donerson allegedly further explained that the former co-worker “was raised by white parents.”
Are these incidents evidence of a trend of increased discrimination against white people? Some white people think so. According to a May 2022 University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll, a majority of white Americans say they have seen an increase in discrimination against other whites, they say at the same time that other groups, including Black and Latino Americans, have been less discriminated against. On the flip side, Black and Latino Americans say their groups have been discriminated against while also saying that other groups have also been highly discriminated against. This is somewhat in line with what I have seen in other studies. For example, in the Association for Psychological Science study, “Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game That They are Now Losing, it was reported that both blacks and whites believed that discrimination against blacks had declined over the past few decades, but whites believed that discrimination against whites was now more common than discrimination against blacks. Why was that? Michael Norton and Sam Sommers, the authors of the study, thought it was because the more whites thought discrimination against blacks was decreasing, the more they felt discrimination against whites was increasing. That sentiment holds true in other studies as well, which say increasing diversity increases the perception of anti-white bias.
Whether real or imagined, the perception of white bias will continue to increase with the browning of America. According to recent demographic projections, the white population in the United States is expected to become a minority by 2044. This is due to a combination of factors, including a declining birth rate among white Americans and increasing immigration from non-white countries. While the white population is still the largest racial or ethnic group in the United States, accounting for 60% of all Americans, the shift to a more diverse nation is happening more quickly in some places than in others. When this happens, or as we trend towards this inevitability, how will this affect the practices of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practitioners? Will the calls to “be less white” as it is often preached in some diversity trainings fade away? Will there be a shift from proclaiming we operate in a white supremacist culture? If the population averages out to a multi-ethnic mix, what will become of the DEI industry? I asked ChatGPT, “If there was no minority-majority in America, would there be a need for the DEI industry?” Chat GPT responded…
If there were no minority-majority race in the United States, the dynamics and focus of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) industry might evolve, but the need for promoting equity, inclusion, and addressing bias would still exist. While the specific emphasis on racial disparities might shift, other dimensions of diversity and social inequalities would continue to be relevant.
Here are a few reasons why the DEI industry would still have a need:
Intersectionality: Intersectionality recognizes that individuals have multiple social identities and face overlapping forms of discrimination and privilege. Even without a clear majority or minority race, individuals would still have diverse identities based on factors such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and more. DEI efforts would focus on acknowledging and addressing these intersections to ensure equal opportunities and inclusivity for all.
Social and Economic Disparities: Beyond racial disparities, other forms of social and economic inequalities persist. These include disparities in income, education, employment, healthcare, and representation. The DEI industry would continue to work towards reducing these disparities, promoting equitable access, and dismantling systemic barriers that hinder certain groups from fully participating and thriving in society.
Cultural Competence and Global Diversity: Even without a clear minority-majority distinction, cultural competence and understanding diversity remain crucial in an increasingly globalized world. The DEI industry would play a role in fostering cultural competency, promoting inclusive practices, and facilitating intercultural understanding among individuals and organizations.
Bias and Discrimination: Bias and discrimination can manifest in various forms, not limited to race alone. Implicit biases, stereotypes, and prejudiced attitudes can impact decision-making, workplace environments, and societal interactions. The DEI industry would continue to address these biases, raise awareness, and implement strategies to mitigate discrimination based on various dimensions of diversity.
While the specific focus and strategies of the DEI industry may adapt to reflect the changing landscape, the fundamental goal of fostering equity, inclusion, and equal opportunities for all individuals would persist, irrespective of the absence of a minority-majority racial dynamic.
When I read that I was disappointed because it demonstrated that there will always be a way to keep us divided, and a monetary incentive to do so.
