DEI, short for diversity, equity, and inclusion, is the latest three-letter term to become a target of the right.
That focus burst into view this week as conservatives went after Chick-fil-A, a fast food restaurant they’ve often supported in the past given its Christian roots and its prior donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. Despite Republicans’ longtime backing, the chain’s decision to employ a vice president of DEI has prompted backlash from some who now slam the company for being too “woke” for considering policies that help support people of color and other underrepresented groups in the workplace.
“This is bad. Very bad. I don’t want to have to boycott. Are we going to have to boycott?” conservative strategist Joey Mannarino wrote on Twitter. It’s not clear why this specific issue has resurfaced on social media since it appears Chick-fil-A’s DEI hire was made months ago. According to the LinkedIn page of Erick McReynolds, the business executive holding the role, he’s been the VP of DEI for more than a year and a half. Conservatives have also called out a Chick-fil-A webpage, which talks about being “better together” and establishing a “culture of belonging” among their concerns.
For now, the outrage appears to be confined mostly to social media, where prominent conservative commentators including Turning Point’s Charlie Kirk and Wade Miller, the head of the Citizens for Renewing America, which seeks to combat “woke” proposals, have weighed in. Given how recent the backlash has been, it’s not yet evident whether it has had any impact on the restaurant’s sales. A separate video from 2020 that features Chick-fil-A chair Dan Cathy talking about how white people should speak up about racial injustice toward Black people has also been critiqued. The attacks on Chick-fil-A also come as conservatives are increasingly targeting companies, like Bud Light and Target, for promoting positions they disagree with, such as backing…
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