By Winden Rowe

Accessible, activism, activists, advocacy, advocate, advocates, affirming care, all-inclusive, allyship, anti-racism, antiracist, assigned at birth, assigned female at birth, assigned male at birth, at risk, barrier, barriers, belong, bias, biased, biased toward, biases, biases towards, biologically female, biologically male, BIPOC, Black, breastfeed + people, breastfeed + person, chestfeed + people, chestfeed + person, clean energy, climate crisis, climate science, commercial sex worker, community diversity, community equity, confirmation bias, cultural competence, cultural differences, cultural heritage, cultural sensitivity, culturally appropriate, culturally responsive, DEI, DEIA, DEIAB, DEIJ, disabilities, disability, discriminated, discrimination, discriminatory, disparity, diverse, diverse backgrounds, diverse communities, diverse community, diverse group, diverse groups, diversified, diversify, diversifying, diversity, enhance the diversity, enhancing diversity, environmental quality, equal opportunity, equality, equitable, equitableness, equity, ethnicity, excluded, exclusion, expression, female, females, feminism, fostering inclusivity, GBV, gender, gender based, gender based violence, gender diversity, gender identity, gender ideology, gender-affirming care, genders, Gulf of Mexico, hate speech, health disparity, health equity, Hispanic minority, historically, identity, immigrants, implicit bias, implicit biases, inclusion, inclusive, inclusive leadership, inclusiveness, inclusivity, increase diversity, increase the diversity, indigenous community, inequalities, inequality, inequitable, inequities, inequity, injustice, institutional, intersectional, intersectionality, key groups, key people, key populations, Latinx, LGBT, LGBTQ, marginalize, marginalized, men who have sex with men, mental health, minorities, minority, most risk, MSM, multicultural, Mx, Native American, non-binary, nonbinary, oppression, oppressive, orientation, people + uterus, people-centered care, person-centered, person-centered care, polarization, political, pollution, pregnant people, pregnant person, pregnant persons, prejudice, privilege, privileges, promote diversity, promoting diversity, pronoun, pronouns, prostitute, race, race and ethnicity, racial, racial diversity, racial identity, racial inequality, racial justice, racially, racism, segregation, sense of belonging, sex, sexual preferences, sexuality, social justice, sociocultural, socioeconomic, status, stereotype, stereotypes, systemic, systemically, they/them, trans, transgender, transsexual, trauma, traumatic, tribal, unconscious bias, underappreciated, underprivileged, underrepresentation, underrepresented, underserved, undervalued, victim or victims, vulnerable populations, women and underrepresented.

While I was genuinely enthusiastic about the Trump administration’s promise to dismantle censorship, particularly in the vital field of psychedelic-assisted therapies, I’m now deeply troubled by the potential chilling effect of certain DEI initiatives. Reports are surfacing that within crucial federal departments like NASA and the NSF, well-intentioned language guidelines are being wielded in a way that could stifle critical research.

As a trauma therapist with 12 years of experience, I’m especially alarmed by the implications for trauma research. Imagine: vital studies aimed at alleviating the suffering of sexual assault survivors, potentially blocked because of language choices. This isn’t theoretical; it’s a real threat to our ability to heal those who have endured unimaginable pain. Trauma, in its cruelest irony, is utterly indiscriminate. How can we, in good conscience, allow this initiative to impede our ability to address such a fundamental human experience? We must not allow these changes to sacrifice the pursuit of knowledge. 

Eventually, all humans suffer and deserve liberation from suffering. Without these efforts within our culture, we impact generations to come. We urgently need clear, transparent guidelines that foster understanding, not fear, and allow for the complex, nuanced discussions that sensitive topics demand. We need to do better.

Winden Rowe, MS, NCC, LPC, is the Director of The Center for Change at Kennett Square, where she and her colleagues work with individuals, couples, families and organizations.