Visualizing # Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: From “Didn't Earn It” to “Definitely Earned It”

Abstract

This article situates the contested terrain of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the current political and cultural context, analyzing how social media users employ visual strategies to reinforce, challenge, and reimagine dominant discourses on DEI. By examining a range of case studies, we offer a critical look at how technological affordances enable the proliferation of viral memes, individual performances, and emotionally charged imagery that shape perceptions of DEI initiatives. Finally, we investigate the tactics users employ to collectively construct counter-narratives, effectively “talking back” to hegemonic framings of DEI.