Democracy Thrives on Wokeness: WaPo Doubles Down on DEI
19th February 2025
Days before Donald Trump was sworn in as president last month, the Washington Post ostensibly abandoned its catchy #Resistance-era slogan—”Democracy Dies in Darkness”—in favor of something less combative: “Riveting Storytelling for All of America.” Alas, the paper’s recently unveiled “Next 50” list of individuals “shaping our society in 2025” suggests the Post’s journalists are still struggling to dislodge themselves from the woke liberal bubble that has long impeded their ability to make content suitable for normal Americans.
The list is real, but it could easily be mistaken for a caricature of the niche worldview of Acela-corridor journalists and other DEI-obsessed liberal activists. There are a few token Republicans, such as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, the first woman in history to hold that position. But they weren’t featured in the promotional video the Post produced. It would appear that the paper, which serves a digital audience composed primarily of 55-64-year-olds, is not quite ready to abandon its woke tendencies in order to thrive in the post-#Resistance age. Here are some of the most noteworthy examples of the “fascinating” individuals who made the cut:
Chase Strangio: High-voiced trans activist and deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU. Made history as the first “openly transgender” lawyer to argue a case before the Supreme Court.