Respecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Pluralism and Human Rights in Civil Society

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are foundational values for cultural psychiatry. The current assault on DEI in the United States and other countries represents a direct challenge to the scientific, ethical, and clinical commitments that have guided progress in mental health over recent decades. This paper examines the history, rationale, and successes of DEI frameworks in health care and psychiatry, discusses legitimate critiques, documents the scope and consequences of the current anti-DEI movement in the United States and other jurisdictions, and draws comparisons with Canadian and United Kingdom contexts. We revisit each component of DEI-diversity, equity, and inclusion-to clarify its scientific grounding and moral significance for mental health. We argue that, rather than dismantling DEI, cultural psychiatry and allied disciplines must respond with renewed commitment to the values of DEI as well as those of dignity, empathy, and integrity, as ways to advance social justice and pluralistic civil society.