FAIR News: Discrimination Doesn't Achieve Diversity
Newsletter
Dear friends of FAIR,
On August 26th, FAIR's legal team sent letters to two of the “Big Three” management consulting firms, McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company, Inc. in response to a FAIR Transparency incident report raising concerns with both companies’ internship programs.
McKinsey is offering a program open only to “applicants who self-identify as members of a historically underrepresented group in the management consulting profession, including Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, and/or part of Indigenous groups in North America,” while Bain is offering a program for those “who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latinx or Indigenous (Native American, Alaska Native, Inuit, Métis and First Nations).”
In both cases, individuals who reject racial identity labels, or who “identify” as being of Asian, Middle Eastern, European, or mixed ancestry are deemed ineligible.
I started my career as a management consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton (now called Strategy&), and learned valuable skills that have served me well. These internships offer students an incredible opportunity, and I support well-intentioned efforts to make them accessible to a wider set of people from a variety of backgrounds. Seeking to achieve a superficial “diversity” goal by discriminating against applicants of “non-preferred” ancestries, however, is not only unlawful, but immoral.
Beyond the outright discrimination against individuals based on immutable traits, this practice highlights how crude, dehumanizing and absurd these false “racial” categories are. There is such a wide breadth of cultural, ethnic, and individual diversity within these groups, and yet they are lumped together for political and ideological purposes.
For example, a person whose parents moved from Italy or China to Argentina, and then later immigrated to North America, would be able to check the “Hispanic/Latinx” box and apply for Bain’s program—however, a person whose parents immigrated directly to North America from one of those countries would be deemed ineligible. Moreover, this form of discrimination does nothing to remedy barriers for individuals flattened into the “white,” “Middle Eastern” or “Asian” race categories who may need assistance—financial or otherwise.
We were hopeful that our letters would serve as a reminder of the importance of civil rights protections in hiring practices, which prohibit discrimination against any individual based on “race” or other superficial characteristics. Unfortunately, we received a letter from Bain to the contrary. Bain’s Building Entrepreneurial Leaders (BEL) Program, the letter states, “is a 5-day program that does not deprive potential candidates from being considered for Bain’s general summer internship program.” The letter also states that “the goal of the BEL program is to support Bain’s efforts to continue to build a diverse work environment that benefits all.”
This is a common response from those who advocate for discriminatory practices against individuals in order to achieve a desired group level outcome. What Bain fails to realize is that discrimination against innocent individuals due to skin color or ancestry is not a practical, ethical, or lawful way to create the “diverse work environment” they claim to desire—and breeds resentment, alienation, and polarization.
There is a better way to address the disparities in our society, a way that brings people together based on our shared humanity, rather than dividing and labeling. FAIR is committed to advancing our pro-human approach, and will remain steadfast in reminding companies such as Bain that discrimination against individuals on the basis of immutable characteristics is unlawful, regressive—and subject to legal action if not immediately corrected.
Yours,
Bion
__
Bion Bartning
bion@fairforall.org
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November FAIR Parent Education Series Workshops
Please join FAIR in Education on November 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd for a four-part workshop where we will share an overview of the current K-12 educational landscape, summarize key issues interfering with students’ civil rights, and train parents and guardians in effective, pro-human advocacy—including supporting children and teens in developing healthy attitudes around race and identity.
The workshop will take place from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET on each Tuesday evening. Registration is capped at 30 participants, so sign up now to secure your spot!
If you are interested but unable to attend these dates, we will be offering additional FAIR Parent Education Series in the future, so stay tuned!
Pro-Human Tour Stop: Washington, D.C.
Join us on Monday, October 10th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET for a chance to join the pro-human movement in person and engage in an evening of discussion about applying FAIR’s principles to a polarized world.
You’ll also have an opportunity to enjoy the musical talent of the legendary musician and FAIR Advisor Daryl Davis, along with FAIR’s founder and President Bion Bartning, FAIR’s Director of Messaging & Editorial Angel Eduardo, Constitutional law expert Johnny Davis, members of the FAIR D.C. and Virginia chapters, and FAIR-minded people from the D.C. metro area.
Registration is free and open to all!
FREE Webinar: Understanding Gender Dysphoria and Its Impact on Clinical Care
Join FAIR in Medicine on Thursday, October 13th at 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. ET for our FREE webinar, Understanding Gender Dysphoria and Its Impact on Clinical Care, hosted by FAIR Advisor and Senior Fellow Zander Keig.
The featured panelists are Dr. Lisa Littman, a physician-scientist researching gender dysphoria and detransition; Teva Johnstone, psychotherapist and children's mental health consultant; and Stella O'Malley, psychotherapist and executive director of Genspect, an advocacy group which provides resources and education on the best practices for gender dysphoria.
Tickets are free and registration is now open!
Pro-Human Tour Stop: Twin Cities
Please join FAIR’s Twin Cities chapter on Saturday, October 15th at 9:00 a.m. CT for the next stop on the Pro-Human Tour, featuring author, educator, and FAIR Advisor Wilfred Reilly, and FAIR in Medicine Director Dr. Carrie Mendoza.
Professor Reilly will discuss his book, Taboo: The 10 Facts You Can’t Talk About, and Dr. Mendoza will share her views on current trends in medicine, including the recent heightened focus on race and gender in healthcare.
This event will also be an opportunity to connect with the FAIR Twin Cities chapter for the latest updates and information, and how you can join the pro-human movement!
Registration is free and open to all!
Pro-Human Tour Stop: Evanston, Illinois
Join FAIR’s Founder and President Bion Bartning along with FAIR Advisors Daryl Davis, Monica Harris, and Jason Hill for an evening of music and conversation about FAIR’s pro-human approach to addressing social issues and uniting our communities.
The event will also feature music by Daryl Davis, FAIR in Medicine Fellow Robert Graboyes, and Nashville musician and Chicago native Madeline Kelsen.
This event will take place on October 18th from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. CT. Registration is now open.
Please email us at gavin.coon@fairforall.org if you have any questions.
Zoom Conversation with FAIR Legal
Want to know more about FAIR's legal advocacy work and speak directly with the lawyers who are making it happen?
Join us at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 20th for a lively, interactive conversation with FAIR Advisor Samantha Harris and her law partner Michael Allen of Allen Harris Law, as well as FAIR legal network attorney Dan Cragg from Eckland & Blando in Minneapolis, and Letitia Kim, Leigh Ann O'Neill, and Reid Newton from FAIR's in-house legal team.
Registration is FREE and open to all.
FAIR Book Club: Ian Rowe’s Agency
FAIR’s Book Club meets monthly with a goal to read books that challenge and deepen our understanding of humanity and fairness, while enriching our sense of what it means to be pro-human.
The FAIR in Education Fellows invite you to our next book club meeting on October 26th. In October and November, we will be reading and discussing FAIR Advisor Ian Rowe’s new book, Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for All Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power.
We hope you will join us as we dig into the sage wisdom and advice offered in this phenomenal book.
Eugenics: The Curse That Keeps on Cursing Webinar with FAIR in Medicine
Join FAIR in Medicine on October 27th at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. ET for our webinar, Eugenics: The Curse That Keeps on Cursing, to hear how the timeless desire to “improve” the human race is still with us. The often-sordid history of eugenics in the United States was explored in the 2016 PBS documentary The Eugenics Crusade: What’s Wrong with Perfect?
After registering for the webinar, you will receive a link to access this documentary. You can find this link in your ticket confirmation email. We encourage attendees to watch it in anticipation of the webinar.
FAIR in Medicine Fellow Mark Buchanan, MD will moderate the webinar. Panelists include William B. Hurlbut, MD, Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Scholar in Neurobiology at the Stanford Medical School, who writes and consults widely on bioethics; Robert Graboyes, PhD FAIR in Medicine Fellow, health economist, prolific journalist, and musician, a veteran of the faculties of several universities and of the Federal Reserve Bank.
Unchallengeable Orthodoxy in the Arts Panel Discussion at ASU School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership
On Wednesday, November 9th at 5 p.m. MT, join FAIR Founder and President Bion Bartning and FAIR in the Arts Fellows Clifton Duncan, Lincoln Jones, and Winston Marshall along with filmmaker Meg Smaker for a panel discussion titled Unchallengeable Orthodoxy in the Arts.
Hear from artists who found the courage to speak up in the face of overwhelming social pressure, were targeted for doing so, and weathered the storm. Learn how to navigate these new challenges and why it is important to support excellence and creative freedom in the arts.
This event will be live and in-person at the Arizona State University campus, and will also be recorded and posted on the SCETL YouTube channel after the event date and time.
FAIR in Medicine Open House with Bob Ostertag
Join FAIR in Medicine on Thursday, November 10th, at 7:00 p.m. ET for an open house featuring author and musician Bob Ostertag. We will discuss Bob’s 2016 book, Sex, Science, and Self: A Social History of Estrogen, Testosterone, and Identity which discusses the complicated relationship between medical innovations, psychology, the sexual revolution, gay rights advocacy, and modern man’s search for an authentic self that suffers less.
Registration is free and open to all!
Rights and Responsibilities: A Symposium for School Board Members
The importance of school boards has come to the forefront in recent years. Join us at the Great Wolf Lodge in the Wisconsin Dells from the evening of Thursday, December 15th to Saturday, December 17th to learn more about your rights and responsibilities as a board member, and how to approach your local community leadership position using FAIR’s principles of fairness, understanding, and humanity.
Presenters include FAIR Advisors Robert Pondiscio, Adam Seagrave, and Zander Keig, along with Cory Brewer, Jennifer Meinhardt, and FAIR Action Fellow Tanya Simons.
Registration is FREE and open to all!
FAIR Perspectives Podcast
This week on Fair Perspectives, we speak with Salomé Sibonex. Salomé is a writer, visual artist, and social critic, as well as the host of the podcast Silver Eye Society and the writer of the Substack Spiritual Soap. Salomé’s work spans the topics of identity—both her own & identity as it functions in society—psychology of the self, and socio-political subjects such as love, hate, the culture wars, and spiritualism and mythology as functions of human expression.
We discuss Salomé's background as a woke communist, her work as a writer and cultural critic, why shame, guilt, and misanthropy seem to be so prevalent in our culture and discourse, how best to engage on social media, and why Alex Jones isn't the problem.
FAIR News Podcast
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Sarah Haider: Freedom of Religion Means Respecting the Right to Be Without It
For FAIR’s YouTube channel, Co-Founder of Ex-Muslims of North America Sarah Haider describes the difficulties and intolerance she and many others have faced for leaving and criticizing their religion—from being called a “hate monger” to an “Uncle Tom” to a “house Arab.” Sarah emphasizes that the pro-human values of tolerance, fairness, understanding, and humanity should be extended to all, regardless of their beliefs (or lack thereof).
I don’t think anyone, even those who hate my apostasy, should be silenced. What I ask for is that we stand up for the right to speak for everyone, including both those that stand with us and even those who call for the death of disbelievers. This is what ex-believers like myself from all religions ask for: the freedom to be ourselves. Please stand with us.
FAIR Educators Alliance & Administrators Alliance Happy Hours
Teachers often feel isolated and alone in their schools, but FAIR is here for you! The FAIR Educators Alliance brings together educators from all levels to share experiences and concerns and work on developing resources that can support teachers, community members, and FAIR chapters.
FAIR’s Educator’s Alliance is hosting an informal happy hour every other Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. ET, and hold more formal monthly meetings that will address issues based on your interests and needs.
If you’re a K-12 school administrator, we’re here to support you too! You’re invited to join the FAIR Administrators Alliance, which is holding its next meeting Thursday October 13th at 1:00 p.m. ET!
All teachers and administrators are welcome!
For more information, contact educators@fairforall.org.
Join the FAIR Community
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Join a Welcome to FAIR Zoom information session to learn more about our mission, or watch a previously recorded session in the Members section of www.fairforall.org.
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I fail to see how their stance is any different from the National Socialists saying "Jews need not apply." Race essentialism is race essentialism. Period. As I've said before, comparing this movement to Marxism completely misses the mark.
Not to oversimplify, but won’t there be a market for talented consultants shut out of these big 3? Should I start a consultancy which just hires the best people regardless of race and I would not only get a more meritorious company, but also one whose hiring is less involved (therefore lower cost)?
One weird point about this obvious gap: the most talented historically repressed people would probably love to work at a place that appreciates them for their contributions more than tokenizes them. I’m hoping for a market solution to all this pageantry.