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A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Get local news delivered to your inbox!NO. 20 TEXAS A&M 81, RUTGERS 77Monthly Horoscope for December 2024: Bold moves and love lessons await
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Boise State did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. “Utah State is reviewing the court’s order," Doug Hoffman, Aggies associate athletic director for communications, said in an email. "Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on.” San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sportsTheater Max Martin and David West Read’s musical “& Juliet” asks the question: What would happen if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? The romantic comedy comes to life via a playlist of songwriter-producer Martin’s pop anthems including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,” “That’s the Way It Is” and more. Luke Sheppard directs. From Dec. 3-15 at Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph. Tickets: $40-$165. Visit broadwayinchicago.com . “Little Women” is Lauren Gunderson’s new stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel about four sisters and the strengths that bind them together. Tyler Meredith, Janyce Caraballo, Demetra Dee and Yourtana Sulaiman star; Georgette Verdin directs. From Nov. 29-Jan. 5. Northlight Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets: $49-$91. Visit northlight.org . Welcome to Bedford Falls! The annual staging of “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago” is a 1940s radio broadcast adaptation of Frank Capra’s classic that has become a holiday tradition. Gwendolyn Whiteside directs. From Nov. 29-Dec. 22 at American Blues Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $55. Visit americanbluestheater.com . “Mean Girls” is Tina Fey, Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin’s musical adaptation of the popular movie about a teenager who takes on a trio of frenemies. From Nov. 28-Dec. 1 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells. Tickets: $33-$121. Visit broadwayinchicago.com . George Howe and William Massolia’s world premiere musical adaptation of Gail Rock’s “House Without a Christmas Tree” is the story of a young girl who doesn’t understand why her father won’t allow an evergreen in their house. Dorothy Milne directs. From Dec. 1-29 at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark. Tickets: $43. Visit griffintheatre.com . The omnipresent Scrooge turns up next in a 60-minute, family-friendly version of “A Christmas Carol.” From Nov. 29-Dec. 28 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace ($28; drurylanetheatre.com). Meanwhile, Phil Timberlake starts in his one-man adaptation “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol: A Solo Show.” From Nov. 29-Dec. 22 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood ($45, lifelinetheatre.com ). The Second City holiday offerings include “Jack Frost Roasting on an Open Fire” (Nov. 29-Dec. 31) and the family-friendly “Rudolph Runs Wild” (Nov. 30-Dec. 28). Both are at The Second City’s UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North ($29, secondcity.com). “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Sweater” (Dec. 1) brings seasonal laughs to the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn ($31-$49, atthemac.org ). Veronica Garza returns as Cindy-Lou Who in the adult comedy “Who’s Holiday!” She’s 40, flirty and ready to spill the dirt about the Grinch. Christopher Pazdernik directs. From Nov. 29-Dec. 29 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont. Tickets: $15-$45. Visit theaterwit.org . Dance Ballet 5:8 presents “Beyond the Nutcracker,” its twist on the holiday classic which finds Emma and Uncle Abrams on a journey through time to discover what Christmas is about. From Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets: $15-$55. Visit athenaeumcenter.org . Salt Creek Ballet’s annual staging of “The Nutcracker” features more than 50 dancers including guest artists. From Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Hinsdale Central High School, 5500 S. Grant, Hinsdale ($42; saltcreekballet.org); Dec. 6-7 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie ($28-$54; northshorecenter.org), and Dec. 14-15 with live accompaniment by the New Philharmonic at McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn ($36, $46; atthemac.org ). Music Grammy-winning gospel singer-songwriter Jonathan McReynolds brings new sounds to the holiday season with the release of his first Christmas album, “Red & Green,” which features original songs. Smokie Norful opens at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield. Tickets: $30-$40. Visit jamusa.com . Chamber music ensemble Winter Quartet — Ni Mei (violin), Danny Lai (viola), Katinka Kleijn (cello) and Spencer Myer (piano) — perform works by Mahler, Saariaho and Faure. At 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: pay-what-you-wish starting at $15. Visit cso.org . Norwegian alt-pop artist Aurora tours behind her fourth studio album “What Happened to the Heart?” The poetic songs blend folk, techno and pop into what she says is her “most personal and cathartic album” to date. At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence. Tickets: $86+. Visit livenation.com . Neo-soul singer-songwriter-producer Robert Glasper headlines four shows at 6 and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3 at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph. Tickets: $55-$78. Visit citywinery.com . If you’re looking for some bluegrass music to start your holidays, check out Henhouse Prowlers and Special Consensus, two of the very best of the genre. At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage. Tickets: $22-$60. Visit jamusa.com . Hip-hop legends Rakim, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick perform at 8 p.m. Nov. 29 at Hard Rock Casino, 5400 E. 29th, Gary, Indiana. Tickets: $59+. Visit ticketmaster.com . Museums In his monumental media work “The Great Farce,” Federico Solmi conflates and distorts past and present, history and myth, reality and spectacle as his drawings and paintings serve as a foundation for this surreal take on American history. The exhibit is the first time the large-scale, multi-screen installation has been presented in full, spanning the entirety of The Block Museum’s largest gallery. Through Dec. 1 at Block Museum, 40 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston. Admission is free (museum closed Nov. 28-29). Visit blockmuseum.northwestern.edu . Movies Put on your lederhosen and sing along with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and the Von Trapp children at “The Sound of Music Sing-a-Long.” Each screening includes onscreen lyrics, a costume contest, a collectable tote bag and new interactive surprises. From Nov. 29-Dec. 1 and Dec. 5 at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. Tickets: $18, children 12 and under $12. Visit musicboxtheatre.com . “The Wizard of Oz in Concert” features a screening of the MGM T echnicolor classic as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs Herbert Stothart’s movie score. Richard Kaufman conducts. At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29-30 and 3 p.m. Dec. 1 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: $55+. Visit cso.org . Family Fun It’s time for imaginations to run wild as “Forts: Build Your Own Adventure” returns to Filament Theatre. The immersive experience transforms the theater into a cozy room filled with cardboard boxes, sheets, clothespins, couches and more, where families can build their own magical fort. From Nov. 30-Jan. 5 at 4041 N. Milwaukee. Tickets: $12-$18. Visit filamenttheatre.org . Guitarist-composer Kaki King presents “Bugs,” a fun-filled, 60-minute show which brings together music, design and technology in an interactive performance that encourages children to think about nature, ecology and the animal kingdom. At 2 p.m. Nov. 30 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph. Tickets: $18-$23. Visit harristheaterchicago.org . Holiday Fun The 90th Chicago Thanksgiving Parade features an appearance by actor Lynn Whitfield (“The Chi”), marching bands, floats, live music (country singers Reyna Roberts and Lee Strickland), equestrian units and cultural performance troupes. From 8-11 a.m. Nov. 28 on State from Ida B. Wells to Randolph. Visit chicagothanksgivingparade.com . Light up the Lake transforms Navy Pier into a winter wonderland filled with twinkling lights. Enjoy a two-story ice slide, outdoor firepits, weekly fireworks, drone shows, craft workshops, an artist’s market, music performances, craft workshops, visits with Santa and more. To Jan. 5 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. For a complete list of events, visit navypier.org . Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic is a lights festival featuring a 40-foot tree, a 3D gingerbread house, a Tunnel of Lights, a Ferris wheel and, of course, animals. Plus there are seasonal special events including a Jolly Gingerbread Party, Dinner with Santa and more. From 3-9 p.m. on select dates through Dec. 31 at 8400 31st, Brookfield. Admission: $20.95-$29.95. For more information, visit brookfieldzoo.org/events .
Robinson will be available to play when the Rams (5-6) visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. “I think he does understand the severity of this, and how lucky we were that nobody was injured,” McVay said. “I do believe that he's remorseful. We are going to let the legal process take place. The league has a process as well.” Robinson was arrested early Monday morning after California Highway Patrol officers observed a white Dodge sedan driving over 100 mph on the 101 freeway in the western San Fernando Valley, a few miles from the Rams’ training complex in Woodland Hills. The driver, who identified himself as Robinson, had “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” the CHP said in a statement released to The Associated Press. Robinson spoke to the team and expressed remorse about his arrest, McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I think it was a bad decision he made,” McVay said. “I don't think that makes him a bad person, and I do believe this is something that, with the words that he said, our guys will learn from it, and hopefully nobody is ever going to repeat something like this. Let it be a learning opportunity, and a fortunate outcome that nobody was injured.” Robinson has 26 receptions for 384 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches while starting all 11 games in his second season with the Rams . He caught a TD pass in the Rams' 37-20 loss to Philadelphia several hours before his arrest. The nine-year NFL veteran has served as a capable No. 3 option for Stafford behind star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Robinson spent his first six NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl ring in February 2020, and spent one year with Baltimore before joining the Rams last year. “Let this be a lesson to all of us,” Stafford said. “We're lucky with the result that came of it, to be honest with you, that nobody was hurt or injured. I know that D-Rob is a great person. I love being around him. Love him as a teammate. ... I'm just trying to support him, help him out any way I can.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
By KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 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NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher at the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the October survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associate at Pew, called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Walmart says its U.S. businesses sourced more than $13 billion in goods and services from diverse suppliers in fiscal year 2024, including businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company has no explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.