It’s clear that DEI is under attack. Reports of DEI programs being dismantled dominate headlines and news feeds. But there’s something missing from this conversation — the critical legal pushback from lawsuits and judicial decisions that continue to uphold and defend DEI principles, though often overlooked and underreported. Meanwhile, other pressing issues, such as the erosion of trans rights, are unfolding in the background, exposing a broader and more alarming reality: the systematic stripping of basic human rights.

In this climate, it’s important to remember that how we treat each other is within our control. Discrimination is still illegal, but decency and respect don’t require a law. In fact, the law is the floor — not the ceiling — for how we should engage with one another.

If legal requirements are the only reason we treat each other with respect, we have a serious problem. Laws exist to prevent the worst abuses, not to define the standard for human decency. Our moral compass should set that standard, with our guide being an internal desire to do what is right and equitable for all people. Even if legal protections were to disappear, we should strive to be a society that upholds human dignity regardless. Each of us has a responsibility to treat others with respect, every day and in every interaction.

At Rework Work, we’re not backing down. We will continue advocating, educating, and pushing for change. Together, let’s focus on what we can control and hold ourselves and others to a higher standard, no matter the political climate.