With the increasing attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is imperative that we continue to set the record straight. It is obvious to me that those who would like to obliterate DEI initiatives and even ban the use of the terms are motivated by fear of losing power. The fact is that white men hold the power in business, politics, sports, and just about every aspect of society. This has not changed much since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It is primarily white men who are calling for the demise of DEI. While strides have been made in acknowledging the benefits of diversity for all of us, we have a long way to go to be able to say that we live in a world that values equity and inclusion.
One of the fears that fuels anti-DEI efforts is the far-right ideology of what is dubbed as the “great replacement” theory. Even though this theory has been widely discredited and debunked, it claims there is a deliberate effort to replace white populations in Western countries with non-European immigrants. Advocates of the great replacement theory often manipulate statistics and engage in fearmongering, disregarding the complex factors influencing population changes.
Let’s set the record straight by looking at some statistics that show that even though white men make up about 30 percent of the U.S. population, they disproportionately hold positions of power in almost every aspect of U.S. society. Trends do not suggest that there is rapid movement toward equity.
Politics
White men hold 62 percent of political offices in this country and women hold 31 percent despite making up 51 percent of the population.
People of color hold 13 percent of political offices, even though we make up 40 percent of the population.
Part of this, researchers say, is due to the incumbency advantage: Sitting elected officials almost always win their elections. I wonder if more women had been a part of political power, if Roe v. Wade would have been overturned in 2022? To change this trajectory, we need more women and people of color running for elected office, and we need more people who advocate for equity and justice voting people out of office who do not.
Business
According to the Journal of Accountancy in 2022, 88.8 percent of CEOs, CFOs, and COOs were white and 88.1 percent were men among Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies.
Women comprise nearly half of the total U.S. workforce and remain significantly underrepresented in these top leadership roles. For example, according to the same report, women represent 10 percent of CEOs, 11 percent of COOs, and 18 percent of CFOs. Even though these numbers have shown an improvement over time, there is still a huge gap if we are using parity as our benchmark. Additionally, women tend to be disproportionately represented in the lower paid C-suite roles of chief human resources officers (70 percent), chief communication officers (64 percent), and chief inclusion and diversity officer jobs (76 percent).
When we add the intersectionality of gender and race, the statistics are even more disparate. U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that women of color comprise 20.3 percent of the population. According to a report from the nonprofit Catalyst, at the beginning of 2022, women of color held 8 percent of vice president positions, 6 percent of senior vice president positions, and 5 percent of C-suite positions. Compare this to white women, who, while still underrepresented, fare much better: They represent 24 percent of VP positions, 23 percent of SVP roles, and 21 percent of C-suite positions.
This dominance of white men in powerful positions is further reflected in the racial and gender makeup of corporate boards. According to a study released by the Alliance for Board Diversity in June 2023, more than half of board seats (55.3 percent) are held by men in Fortune-ranked companies. Even though women and people of color are gradually showing increases, we have not come close to equity. In 2022, women held over 30 percent of board seats up from 26.5 percent in 2020. During the same period, the representation of African American/Black board members grew from 8.7 percent to 11.9 percent; Asian/Pacific Islander board members increased from 4.6 percent to 5.4 percent; and Latine board representation grew slightly from 4.1 percent to 4.7 percent. Despite modest growth over the last decade, no Fortune 500 company board fully represents the demographic population in the U.S.
Sports
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram compiled a list of ownership by race, ethnicity, and gender of the 118 pro franchises from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL in 2023. Only 8 percent of all team owners (10 total) were women and similarly only 8 percent (10) represent ethnicities other than white. Contrast this with the number of players of color among pro sports. Michael Jordan was the only African American owner. He sold the Charlotte Hornets in August 2023.
White men are also disproportionately represented as head coaches in most professional sports. In 2023, 18.3 percent of NFL coaches were men of color; in the MLB 31 percent; and about 53 percent for the NBA. White men also hold a disproportionate share of coaching and executive roles in men’s and women’s sports in colleges and universities. In 2020, 95 percent of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s sports team were led by men. When we look at media representation, we see similar patterns: Almost 80 percent of sports editors were white and 83.35 percent of them were men in 2021. And finally in pay, including salaries and individual prize money, there are gross inequities. Men make 15 percent to a whopping 100 percent more than female athletes.
I picked politics, business, and sports because they are three key aspects of U.S. culture. There are certainly many more like government, education, and religion where we would find similar patterns of white male dominance. Given the fact that the power imbalance has not changed significantly — and not without significant struggle — over the past 60 years, what is the fear? I can only conclude that too many white men, whether consciously or unconsciously, are buying into the great replacement theory, and they fear losing power and dominance. If they keep tearing down efforts for equity and inclusion, they will lose power and dominance because their efforts will lead to the end of the democratic experiment. While imperfect, it at least purports to aspire to a world of equity and justice. If we do not uphold our democratic principles, we will all lose in the end.
