Dealing with Backlash: Defending DEI without burning out
- Luka Özyürek
- Jun 10
- 5 min read
It's June, the first half of the year is almost over. A good time for a moment of reflexion: How are your diversity goals coming along? Have you been able to implement the trainings, surveys or events you had planned for this year?
Unfortunately, it's not unlikely that the answer will be “no”, as diversity and inclusion are often the first topics to be cut when time or money is tight. The social and political discourse that is now declaring DEI unnecessary - if not outright dangerous - is not helping. In many companies, diversity managers, equal opportunities officers and anyone who wants to promote a fairer working environment are faced with a doubly difficult task: not only do they have to make the most of minimal resources, they also have to fight against resistance from inside and outside. Whether it's conservative customers calling for a DEI boycott or political divisions within the team that more or less subtly spoil workplace culture - these tensions can become a burden, even leading to burnout.
To prevent this from happening, it is important to find strategies for dealing with backlash, supporting you in living and defending your values in your day-to-day work. What can this look like?
Dealing with backlash: Start with the “why?”
It's almost a platitude by now, but no less true: start with “why?” To have a solid foundation for defending diversity and inclusion, you need to remind yourself why you are doing this work and why it’s worth it. Think consciously: Why is DEI important to you personally? What positive impact can it have on your workplace? How does it reflect your personal values? It's best to write down your thoughts so that you can easily pull them out whenever you need a little reminder in a difficult moment. If your work is rooted in strong convictions, that makes it much easier to defend it in the face of backlash.
Not every comment needs an answer
Speaking of “defending”: Think about what arguments you really want to invest in. It's perfectly okay not to respond to every nasty email, especially when it comes from outside your organisation. Think about it: Does it make sense to engage in a serious exchange with this person, or are they acting in bad faith? Is there a chance that you’ll be able to make a difference or are you wasting time and energy that you could be using more constructively elsewhere? For example, when it comes to a comment section on your social media, you can respond to anti-DEI comments with a standard reply that makes your stance on DEI clear, and then ignore any further provocation. And it should go without saying that explicitly discriminatory hate comments can simply be deleted without comment. (At this point, by the way, it's not just the “Why?” that counts, but also the “Who?”. Who do you actually want to have as customers? Whose opinion is important to you? These are certainly more strategic questions for management or owners, but they can still help you to put things into perspective).
Even if the backlash comes from colleagues, this approach can work. You don't have to get involved in every argument and you are allowed to communicate your boundaries. Remember that it won't help anyone in the long run if you wear yourself out in conflicts where the other person has no interest in reaching an agreement. Ask yourself: Is the resistance due to ignorance, insecurity or other factors that can be overcome through communication? Or does it reflect a deep-seated conviction that you can do little to change? Is the other person just playing “devil’s advocate” or otherwise looking to provoke you? Simply don’t play into it.
Finding the right arguments to counter backlash
When you do want to have an argument, it’s helpful to not only have solid values, but also a solid communication strategy. If you have the opportunity, it is best to attend a training course on how to deal with discriminatory or anti-democratic rhetoric, which can prepare you for common talking points. But you can also prepare yourself for dealing with backlash on your own. Think about what arguments you hear or might hear against DEI and prepare possible responses. Remember that you can reach people on different levels:
Logical: Compile surveys, studies or reports to back up your arguments. This is particularly helpful when it comes to asking for resources or dispelling specific misinformation.
Moral: Point out how DEI relates to your shared values. Remember that inclusion always comes down to one thing - respect. And most people can agree that this is important in the workplace.
Emotional: For many people, DEI is, to some degree, associated with insecurity, confusion or fear. They fear being devalued or doing something wrong. If that’s the case, it can be helpful to address these emotions and make them feel seen. Conversely, it can help to make them aware of how discrimination affects marginalized people emotionally.
The same “choose your battles” rule applies here: if someone doesn't want to engage with facts, moral arguments or emotional appeals, your energy is better used elsewhere.
Make sure to take care of yourself
Of course, all these strategies are yet more work; it's exhausting and, let's be honest, kind of unfair. What is often just a throwaway comment for the person instigating the backlash, can add up to a growing mountain of emotional stress for those who receive it - on top of what marginalized people in particular experience on a daily basis anyway. And yet we are supposed to remain calm and constructive?
It is therefore very important to give yourself breaks and seek support. As we said, you don't have to get involved in every argument and you don't have to think about diversity 24/7. Unfortunately, this is a trap that many of us fall into: We see and experience so much injustice and we want to improve it so passionately that it can be hard to relax. So find strategies to help you - be it setting aside specific time slots for your diversity topics, regular chats with other diversity managers, supervision or coaching, or time for self-care in general. Remember: inclusive work culture is a long-term project for which you need to allocate your energy wisely.
Backlash may be loud - but you’re on the right side of history
And last but not least: Backlash can quickly become overwhelming and it can feel like the whole world is suddenly not only irrational, but also against you personally. The best antidote is to remember that your work makes sense and that there are many, many people who support it - no matter how loud the resistance gets. So save positive feedback. Read success stories. Focus on the small moments when you realize why you are committed to this issue. You are making sure that people are treated with care and respect - and anyone who is against that can only be wrong.
By the way: we are not only there for you if you need support with specific diversity measures or strategy planning, but are also happy to offer an open ear for any of your DEI-related concerns. Just contact us and we'll see what we can do for you.
