Women Erased from Workplace Talk Amid DEI Backlash

Source: nytimes.com

TL;DR

The story at a glance

Joanne Lipman, a journalist who has covered women in the workplace for 15 years, writes that the Trump administration's moves against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are harming women by making discussions of gender a taboo. Institutions from companies to universities are avoiding words like "women" and "gender" to steer clear of backlash. This piece appears now amid reports of a growing gender pay gap and specific anti-women actions by Trump allies like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/women-workplace-dei-feminism.html)

Key points

Details and context

Lipman, author of books like That's What She Said, bases her view on over a decade reporting on women at work. She notes firms begged anonymity when contacted, fearing DEI scrutiny.[[2]](https://www.threads.com/@nytopinion/post/DWzA_iylMLt/none-of-us-knows-what-were-in-for-and-up-against-and-that-confusion)

The administration defines illegal DEI as policies dividing by race or sex, but critics say it chills benign gender equity efforts. Past progress from #MeToo and inclusion initiatives is at risk, as silence lets biases persist unnoticed.[[3]](https://joannelipman.substack.com/p/ive-covered-women-in-the-workplace)

This fits broader 2026 rollback reports, like employment protections shrinking for women-funded programs.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/women-workplace-dei-feminism.html)

Key quotes

“Believe women” was the defining message of the #MeToo movement. Today, there’s a new one: Erase women. — Joanne Lipman[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/women-workplace-dei-feminism.html)

As women are erased from the narrative, injustices against them go unnoticed. — Joanne Lipman[[4]](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/subject/women-and-girls?page=8)

Why it matters

The stakes involve decades of women's workplace gains being undone amid political attacks on DEI, potentially widening inequalities in pay, promotions, and protections.

Women workers, firms, and leaders face pressure to self-censor gender issues, risking ignored harassment or bias.

Watch for more grant cuts, military changes, or corporate shifts, though firms' responses may vary amid uncertainty.[[2]](https://www.threads.com/@nytopinion/post/DWzA_iylMLt/none-of-us-knows-what-were-in-for-and-up-against-and-that-confusion)