Six LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in the US have filed a legal complaint against Donald Trump’s order to prevent certain types of diversity training programmes in the workplace on the basis it is unconstitutional. According to Westlaw Today, Trump enforced regulations in September which prohibit federal contractors from using trainings which engage in “race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating”, saying individuals should not be held accountable “for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.”
This new rule prevents discussions about topics such as racial privilege or the concept that “an individual, by virtue of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously”. Companies which do not adhere to these guidelines risk losing their government contracts.
The advocacy groups argue the regulations silence discussions about the continuing systematic inequality and discrimination in the US. The complaint reads: “The president wants to suppress this speech, no matter how effective it is, or how crucial it is to protecting vulnerable people from harm, because acknowledging these systemic barriers that threaten the lives of some people can make others uncomfortable.” It argues Trump’s order violates free speech and is too vague as to what conduct would violate the regulations.
