Inclusion Shouldn’t Hurt: When DEI Work Is Just More Labor for Marginalized People

This article explores how many DEI efforts rely on the unpaid or underpaid labor of neurodivergent and marginalized staff to drive inclusion, placing an unfair emotional and logistical burden on those already navigating inaccessible systems. It highlights how organizations often perform progressiveness without making structural changes, leaving neurodivergent individuals to educate, advocate, and repair harm without real power or support. The article calls for a shift toward shared responsibility, genuine equity, and systemic change that centers value, repair, and accountability over optics.