As many are now aware, the current presidential administration issued an Executive Order on September 22, 2020 curtailing diversity training in federal agencies under the false pretense of combating race and sex stereotyping. APA quickly released a statement describing how this problematic order attempts to deny clearly evident systemic inequities in our society, and state groups such as the Connecticut Psychological Association (CPA) have shared similar statements.
WSPA stands in solidarity with our colleagues at APA and CPA, and with all those who are negatively affected by this order. We highlight some of the many reasons the order is problematic:
- It denies the realities of historically marginalized people in our country, and also denies people the opportunity to learn about this history, which is typically already excluded and/or falsified by our institutions and educational systems.
- It disregards the role science-based education may play in remedying systemic inequity (for further detail on this point, please see APA‘s attached Summary of Psychological Research and Science of Diversity Training).
- It impedes the development of inclusive, safe work environments that encourage employees to understand each others‘ lived realities, learn from each other, cultivate open communication, and reduce the negative impact of implicit bias.
- It encourages a culture of apathy or even divisiveness that hinders the work environment and therefore employees in that environment.
- It may negatively affect the work federal agencies do (e.g., federal programs serving a community should understand the needs and history of that community).
WSPA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our profession, state, and country, and works to provide support, encouragement, and active collaboration with all psychologists similarly committed to addressing systemic inequities. WSPA initiatives related to these issues include our diversity and equity educational resources, our Good Trouble Committee, and our resources on bias, stigma reduction, and health inequities related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For further reading on workplace diversity and training, please see the following resources:
Sharma, A. (2016). Managing diversity and equality in the workplace. Cogent Business & Management, 3(1), 1212682.
Hughes, C. (2018). Conclusion: Diversity intelligence as a core of diversity training and leadership development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 20(3), 370-378.
Madera, J. M. (2018). What‘s in it for me? Perspective taking as an intervention for improving attitudes toward diversity management. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 59(2), 100-111.
Madera, J. M., Kapoor, C. E., Waight, J., & Madera, J. M. (2011). Diversity training: Examining minority employees’ organizational attitudes. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
\Madera, J. M., Neal, J. A., & Dawson, M. (2011). A strategy for diversity training: Focusing on empathy in the workplace. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 35(4), 469-487.