Let’s be honest: there’s been a lot of noise lately about how DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) is “on the way out.” It’s been labeled as performative. Political. Too “woke.” Too “soft.” And some organizations—spooked by backlash or bored with the pace of change—are hitting the brakes.

Let’s get something straight (pun absolutely intended): Representation isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a must-have.

We all want to see ourselves reflected in the world around us—on screens, in leadership, in our workplaces. Not as a token. Not as a stereotype. But as real, nuanced, human people.

We all like to think we’re fair. Objective. Rational. And yet… we’re not.

Enter: unconscious bias. It’s the sneaky little stowaway hitching a ride on every decision we make—from who we hire, to who we promote, to who gets invited to the meeting after the meeting. Heck, it impacts your lunch order. It’s not a character flaw; it’s a human condition. But that doesn’t make it any less dangerous.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) isn’t a distraction from business—it’s the backbone of it. The data doesn’t lie, and neither do the people who live it: organizations that prioritize DEI outperform, out-innovate, and outlast those that don’t.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: leading inclusively is not about being nice. It’s not about fluffy feelings or hugging it out in a circle while holding hands. (Unless that’s your thing—in which case, I hope your workplace has hand sanitizer.) Inclusive leadership is about strategy. It’s about building environments where everyone, regardless of what makes them different, can thrive and contribute fully. And spoiler alert: when people thrive, organizations thrive.

You’ve got LGBTQIA+ people in your life—whether you realize it or not. They're in your workplace. They're on your team. They're in your meetings. They’re part of your customer base.

And here's the kicker: many of them don’t feel safe being out. Not at work. Not with their manager. Sometimes not even with their colleagues. And that silence? That fear? That closeting?

We’ve diluted the word ally into oblivion. It’s become a trendy label, like slapping “gluten-free” on something that never had wheat to begin with. Everyone wants the badge, but few want the responsibility. Because actual allyship—the kind that changes systems, not just profile pictures—is work. And surprise: it’s not about you.

Several years ago, I worked with a client who was very proud of their recruitment efforts, specifically in attracting people of color to their organization. Yet, upon investigation, we identified that more people of color were going out the back door than were coming in the front.