Reuters is reporting the U.S. Justice Department has issued a memo calling on schools, nonprofits, and other recipients of federal funding to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion — or DEI — programs.
The memo, released Wednesday, builds on Trump-era efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives, and specifically targets programs that support historically marginalized groups — including LGBTQ people, communities of color, and first-generation students.
It directs federal fund recipients to avoid using taxpayer money on third-party DEI efforts and warns that scholarships and support programs can't consider race, gender, or sexual orientation — even if those groups are underrepresented.
The Justice Department insists the new guidelines are about ensuring fairness, but critics say they risk erasing hard-won progress in creating inclusive environments, especially in education and the workplace.
For the LGBTQ community, this could mean fewer targeted support services — and fewer safe spaces — in federally funded institutions.
