From Backlash to Inclusion for All: Instituting Diversity Efforts to Maximize Benefits Across Group Lines

Recent real‐world events in which diversity policies and practices have been met with severe backlash can prompt a zero‐sum perception of inclusion efforts. This article offers theory‐based insights for instituting diversity initiatives that can afford inclusion for all— allowing institutions to reap the benefits of diversity efforts while reducing the costs of backlash. Using an inclusion for all framework we highlight three salient, interrelated, sources of backlash tied to dominant group members’ goals and motivations: (1) perceived or actual restriction of independence or autonomy, (2) preference for the status quo and colorblindness, and (3) beliefs that racial and other social equalities have been reached. Throughout, we emphasize an intergroup focus that recognizes the interdependent yet often divergent goals and motivations of marginalized and dominant groups. Mainstream institutions’ (colleges, workplaces) role as a critical site for inclusion interventions is discussed.