It genuinely confuses and frustrates me when I see minorities vehemently spewing anti-woke rhetoric. Especially when these same individuals have benefited, and continue to benefit from the very principles that “wokeness” and modern DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives stand for: awareness, progress, opportunity, and justice.
Let’s be honest – the term “woke” has been hijacked. Its meaning has been twisted by ultra-conservative ideologies and weaponized into a caricature. What once meant being socially conscious and empathetic is now framed as an overzealous, fragile, leftist agenda. And somehow, minorities – the very people who were once (and often still are) the direct recipients of oppression and marginalization, have started parroting that same propaganda.
The irony is painful. It’s like watching someone climb out of a pit using a ladder, only to turn around and kick the ladder down while laughing at the people still struggling below.
When a Chinese or South Asian or Black person openly mocks wokeness or trashes DEI initiatives without realizing (or acknowledging) that their parents, their ancestors – even they themselves have gained access to better lives because someone was woke enough to fight for them, or because DEI programs actively helped them? That’s not just hypocritical. It’s disturbing.
What are they even rejecting? The right to speak up against racism? The right to be treated equally? The right to be seen and included in systems that were built to exclude them? Or are they just reacting to internet memes and far-right buzzwords that boil complex societal evolution into shallow talking points?
Some will argue, “Well, wokeness and DEI have gone too far.” But what does that mean? That people care too much? That they’re too sensitive about others’ suffering? Or is it just discomfort, because real awareness requires reflection, and reflection can get ugly?
No system is perfect. No movement is without flaws. DEI programs aren’t flawless, and yes, some implementations miss the mark. But dismantling or mocking them because of imperfections, while ignoring the broader impact they’ve had on opening doors for marginalized communities? That’s lazy. It’s short-sighted. It’s subscribing to the same oversimplified logic that got us into social division in the first place.
Take the recent rollback of diversity initiatives across academic institutions and corporations as an example – like the University of Michigan ending its flagship DEI program (The Guardian, March 2025). These aren’t signs of progress. They’re red flags that we’re moving backward under the guise of “balancing the scales.”
To my fellow minorities: Stop punching down. Stop aligning with rhetoric that ultimately seeks to erase your own cultural history and silence your legitimate struggles. You don’t have to love the term “woke.” You don’t have to agree with every DEI policy. But don’t forget the people who were awake enough to fight for the rights and representation you now take for granted.
Self-hate is a hell of a drug. Don’t let it write your story.
