Only a few days into his second term in office, President Trump and his administration have not held back on their promises to target and terminate federal government agencies that oversee diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In his words, these “illegal and immoral” DEI programs and the employees who work for them (now placed on paid leave until a written plan for their dismissal is submitted by the end of January) were part of a “radical and wasteful” process “under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’”
If you are unfamiliar with the term DEI, and what these programs represent, here is a brief breakdown. DEI encompasses people of different ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, disabilities, genders, religions, cultures, and sexual orientations. It also covers people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skills/expertise. DIE programs and initiatives, mostly placed into action by Lyndon B. Johnson, after the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, took many forms then, but now generally support efforts to increase access to and remove barriers to higher education and career opportunities from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, races, genders, and abilities. In 2021, former President Biden continued to support Johnson’s legacy with a DEI order of his own titled “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce,” which worked to promote “equal opportunity” representation, fairness, impartiality, and inclusion.
Doubling down on his campaign promises, Trump has now revoked this executive action, along with decades of progress made from the Civil Rights Acts and President Johnson's Executive Order 11246, as well as anti-discrimination laws put into place by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ending these policies and programs in the workplace risks not only perpetuating inequality, but ableism and that is where we, as a chronic illness community, should be concerned.
"An assault on the civil rights movement and everything we've achieved in the last 60 years." - Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, when questioned on Trump's actions.
The attack on DEI and programs that support it, could set back recent progress for those who have chronic illness and consider themselves disabled. Disabled people make up 25 percent of the US population. History has undoubtedly shown that people with disabilities and chronic conditions have faced increased obstacles with landing employment (in fact, a 2018 study found that 67 percent of people feel “uncomfortable” talking to a disabled person, and paying disabled people sub-minimum wage is still legal in some US states). However, due to disability inclusion initiatives that had been put into place, the needle was trending for the better. In fact, the federal government has been one of the biggest employers of disabled people in the country (9.4% of the federal workforce was disabled in 2022, up from 8.9% in 2014). Unfortunately, several of President Trump's executive orders and actions seek to eradicate within the federal government all mention and practice of present "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility." To make matters worse, Trump also is now insisting federal workers to return to full-time in-office work. This will likely be a problem for disabled workers who need to telework and were allowed to do so during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I can't tell you how many clients we have where they have either visible disabilities or [other] issues that require them to work from home," said Alan Lescht, an employment lawyer who represents federal workers. If they are told to return to in-person or else, many people could be out of a job. In a nutshell, Trump’s DEI orders may drastically halt progress for disabled workers and workers who need accommodations due to chronic illness.
“Inclusion, comparatively, means that all products, services, and societal opportunities and resources are fully accessible, welcoming, functional, and usable for as many different types of abilities as reasonably possible. An ableist society tends towards isolation, pity, paternalism, and low self-esteem among people with disabilities, whereas an inclusive society tends toward sociability and interdependency between the able-bodied and disabled.” -Stopableism.com
Accessibility matters for disabled folks, who need necessary accommodations to be able to work-- like work setups that allow for wheelchairs or mobility aids, software that allows visually impaired people to read computer monitors, more breaks, headphones, or specialized desks. Abandoning programs that require employers to make these accommodations is not making “America Great Again” it is making America more ableist again. More in favor of able-bodied people, whether they want to admit that or not, while alienating the diverse talent people who live with disabilities and chronic illness bring to the workplace. With DEI under attack, hiring protocols, training programs, and employment opportunities that include disabled representation could be eliminated (and prejudices against the disabled and those with chronic illnesses encouraged) with no legal ramifications.
“Abandoning programs that require employers to make these accommodations is not making “American Great Again ", it is making America more ableist again.”
Disability — despite being one of the largest, intersectional, and non-partisan diversity segments of all — has always been an uphill battle. With a lack of media attention regarding this, I am sure the Trump administration isn’t losing sleep over disability rights.
“Everyone loves disabled people until we stop being inspirational and start asking for our access and needs to be met. Inertia is easier to handle than inclusivity.” - Amy Kenny, My Body is Not a Prayer Request.
What happens next regarding chronic illness and disability rights is unclear. Disability inclusion may suffer intensely from the “last in, first out” conservative political pressure which leaves many in a very vulnerable position. Even more frightening if you identify as a disabled woman. Women, who have benefited from affirmative action and DEI policies, will likely have to adapt to a rapidly changing workforce environment that no longer prioritizes gender fairness or other gender-based hiring practices (even today women make on average 16% less than men). Christian Nunes, president of the National Organization for Women, says “We’re gonna see more of a gap, we’re gonna see more people, especially women, struggle more than anything” with the end of DEI. Beyond their gender, women are disproportionately impacted by physical health issues, with 70% of chronic health patients being female in the US.
These programs are not discriminatory; they are essential to creating environments where everyone has a chance to succeed and addressing persistent barriers for individuals to advance in their careers. Employers must take a stand against this political intimidation and remain committed to opening doors to all potential candidates.
“If you take the DEI away, you also decrease your ability to provide ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] considerations and adaptability,” things that people of all races and genders benefit from. As Nunes sees it, DEI “helps everybody, it doesn’t just help one group.” -David Goldstein, Employment lawyer
Accessibility matters for disabled folks, who need accommodations to be able to work. Inclusion matters. The White House didn't provide additional comment beyond the orders regarding how these orders will impact disabled people in the workforce. And as David Goldstein, employment lawyer states, “It does leave you wondering if that was just careless drafting, failure to think about it, or if it really is sending a message.’
We see the message. You may not think we matter, but we do. Making disability a cornerstone of DEI conversations is imperative to ensure these conversations are more meaningful and powerful to stop ableist prejudices and policies.
And next time someone wants to call DEI “wasteful” or a “joke,” I want them to look me in the eye and say it again. Because they are calling my needs a joke, my quality of life a joke, and my well-being a joke. Because DEI includes the disability community, which includes chronic illness, which includes me.
Written By:
Kelli (Casas) Roseta
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January 2025