After we published a recent article on the backlash facing DEI in the corporate world, we received a message from Sofi Musleh, International DEI Business Partner, Docusign, a long-established DEI strategist and senior leader. Sofi challenged us to consider how our framing might unintentionally suggest that DEI professionals were in some way at fault for the backlash we were reporting on.
Curious and open to feedback, we spoke to her to hear more. (Sofi is also speaking at The Watercooler Event on 7th and 8th May 2025 at ExCeL in London).
In Sofi’s words:
“I tried to read your coverage with the lens of someone outside the DEI world. What came across was a subtle suggestion that DEI has failed and now organisations are stepping in to do it ‘better.’ As someone who’s worked in this space for nearly two decades, I felt a familiar sting.
That sting comes from working in a field that has always required navigating tensions: pushing uphill, as I often put it, while trying not to isolate anyone and meeting the expectations of everyone around inclusivity and the right to be heard.
The DEI profession has always required a careful balancing act: remaining inclusive while also standing firm on issues of justice and dignity. And yet, there are moments where that commitment to including every perspective may have gone too far.
No free speech without consequences
Take the example of trans rights. By entertaining the idea that someone’s right to exist can be up for debate, we unintentionally legitimised transphobia. We would never tolerate overt racism or sexism being defended as ‘opinion’ in the workplace; so why do we apply a different standard when it comes to gender identity?
I found that many practitioners in the field were reluctant to walk that tight line. ‘You’re entitled to your beliefs,’ I have often told others.
‘But in a professional environment, you are not entitled to act on those beliefs in ways that disrespect others.’
There’s no free speech without consequences; especially not in the workplace. That said, another approach of mine is to welcome those very difficult conversations that many people are afraid to have with others. I’ve coached leaders, for example, who have told me they don’t believe in women’s rights at work and displayed misogynistic thinking.
The DEI pendulum will swing back
I try to explain to them why I believe they are wrong. But, at the end of the day, it comes down to saying to them that if that’s what they believe – fine – but what they can’t, then do is, for example, refuse to have gender representation metrics.
I believe that with this DEI backlash the pendulum will swing back and balance out. Perhaps it’s true that we may have tried to embrace our ‘whole selves’ a little too much at work, and that will play a part in the rebalancing. Going forward we must keep talking, like this, and we must allow ourselves, and each other, grace.
DEI work demands immense emotional intelligence and resilience, especially when those leading it come from historically marginalised backgrounds themselves.
Many DEI professionals have personal stakes
Many of us in this space have deep, personal stakes in the work. That can be both our power and our challenge. We must learn how to tell the story of our scars, not our open wounds.
That distinction is critical. If you’re so triggered by someone’s ignorance or rejection that you lash out, it may be a sign you need healing. DEI professionals are often called to be the bridge, to work with those who don’t yet believe in the value of what we do. If you’re burning with unprocessed pain, this role can burn you out.
I’m not suggesting people leave the profession, but rather, that they find appropriate outlets for their activism. If you’re passionate to the point of deep emotional distress, consider an NGO or activist group where that fire is fuel.
Be aware of the DEI purpose
But within corporate spaces, you need to be strategic, measured, and deeply aware of your purpose: to make the workplace better for everyone in that workplace, and ideally for those who are connected to it externally .
I still wouldn’t say that I know everything there is to know about DEI because the field is constantly evolving. It’s constantly growing and…unless you’re constantly updating your knowledge about it, about the geopolitical currents that ebb and flow daily, the lay of the land when it comes to employment law and regulations, you will never be as experienced and as knowledgeable about it as you would like to be.
DEI is evolving, imperfect and hard; not reasons to walk away
So, having the humility in accepting that you don’t know everything there is to know about the subject is the first step. It’s about allowing the vulnerability of not being the subject matter expert at times, even though you are the “subject matter expert”, and allowing that to come through without shame.
Sometimes, just existing – being visible as a queer woman, as a Palestinian, as someone disabled – is resistance. I don’t have to be on the front line of every protest. My existence, my voice, my persistence—these are all acts of resistance.
DEI is not static. It’s evolving, imperfect and hard. But that’s not a reason to walk away. It’s a reason to keep talking, to give each other grace, and to remember that growth often comes from discomfort.”
About the author:
Sofi Musleh is a seasoned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) global strategist with over 18 years of experience spanning corporate, public, and non-profit sectors. She has worked extensively in developing and executing L&D, HR, Employee Relations and Engagement and DEI strategies for multinational organizations such as Novartis, Sodexo, and DocuSign, ensuring alignment between diversity objectives and broader political and organizational goals.
A recognised public speaker and thought leader, Sofi has delivered TEDx talks and contributed to high-profile policy discussions on DEI, intersectionality, and inclusive leadership. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Complex Art Centre as well as European Movement Ireland, and previously was a board member for the Irish charity, First Light.
You can hear her speak at The Watercooler Event, which takes place on 7th and 8th May 2025 at ExCeL in London, which is Europe’s leading trade show, with free-to-attend content, dedicated to creating workplaces that empower both people and business to thrive.
You can find out more and register to attend here.
