Fox News hosts implied Wednesday that their network follows the same Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) guidelines that drew widespread social media attention the day before regarding similar efforts being made at Chick-fil-A. .
The popular chicken restaurant drew backlash and calls for a boycott after the discovery of a DEI-related page on its website, despite the fact that the initiative has been overseen by a company official for nearly three years.
It is another in a series of multiple boycott attempts by certain segments of the conservative population against numerous major brands, including Bud Light over its association with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney and, most recently, Target over the launch of “tuck-friendly ” Related to Pride Month. swimsuits that allow trans women who have not undergone gender-affirming surgery to hide their genitalia.
.@HARRISFAULKNER: “What’s going to be interesting about Chick-fil-A is, can they do both? Can they keep the DEI in the front of the car? Because a lot of states require it now. Here at Fox, other corporations, there will be things going to have to change because the state of… pic.twitter.com/dsBpYM5olZ
—Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) May 31, 2023
“What’s interesting about Chick-fil-A is if they can do both.” Harris Faulkner of Fox News said on outnumbered. “Can they keep the DEI on the rear view mirror, on the front of the car, because so many states now require it? Here at Fox, other corporations, there will be things that have to change because New York State requires it.”
It is unclear which state law this is referring to, although numerous New York-based entities, including universities, law schools, the New York State Department of Education, and the New York Bar Association, have implemented the DEI guidelines.
Spencer Platt/Getty
Faulkner acknowledged not knowing the state laws in Georgia, Chick-fil-A’s home, and where they are, and wondered if companies can uphold their values while being more inclusive of their shareholders and following the laws. state.
“Bud Light didn’t know which part to do, so they stuck their toe in the deepest part of the water and started drowning,” he added. “Can Chick-fil-A continue to walk the plank…and at the same time do DEI, which really keeps everyone happy on the corporate side? If their states start mandating it, some of these companies are going to have to start doing things that they said they would never do.
Fox Corporation has a “Diversity and Inclusion” page on your website related to careers and employment, although the word “equity” is never mentioned.
“We live in a diverse world, with different ideas and different perspectives coming together to spark new ideas and make great things happen,” the website says. “That means reflecting the diversity of the world around us is critical to the success of our company, and we are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion, including attracting, retaining and promoting diverse talent across our company.”
news week has reached out to Fox via email for comment.
Faulkner’s words have already been captured and rejected on platforms like Twitter, where a user wrote“RIP Fox News. You really know how to lose your entire audience.”
The company recently cut ties with Tucker Carlson, who earned the network’s highest ratings, and before that settled a $787.5 million lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, which initially sued for $1.6 billion, following false claims. on the voting system after the 2020 elections.
“Everyone is throwing up the same topic of conversation since fox and friends to outnumbered,” tweeted another user. “How many more days until they start including their preferred pronouns on their name banners?”