Apple Says Apps ‘Should be Made by Everyone,’ But Won’t Let White, Asian Men Apply

“Go woke or go broke” has been the anthem of the Americans sick of controversial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures being forced down their throats. Companies like Target, Bud Light, and Disney are prime examples of what happens when divisive ideologies are prioritized over profit and connecting with the consumer base. As these industry giants put a spotlight on transgender-identifying spokespersons and LGBT-centric children’s attire, customers simply said, “No,” and the boycotts commenced.

As a result, “This summer may mark the beginning of a return to normalcy,” The Christian Post predicted, as certain companies noticeably pull back from DEI efforts. The “agricultural icon” John Deere, for instance, recently announced it would adjust its priorities to “more closely align business strategy to meet the needs of customers.” Similarly, Tractor Supply Co. said it would abolish its DEI department and stop funding Pride parades. And the revolution extends to education where several universities have cut their funding of DEI programs.

But for every group that pulls back by strides, there seems to be another business that moves forward full steam ahead. Apple, in this case, appears to have an iron grip on DEI. One of the largest companies in the world, the tech giant’s latest so-called diverse and inclusive initiatives involves the “Apple Entrepreneur Camp.” The company stated, “We believe apps for everyone should be made by everyone.” And yet, a closer look at the application for this program reveals that “everyone” may not actually mean everyone, since Asian and white men are not allowed to apply.

According to the description on the website, you must be “female*, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, or Indigenous” to be eligible for the program. Notably, the platform put the asterisk next to “female” to specify that “Apple believes that gender expression is a fundamental right.” In an obvious reference to trans-identifying men who believe they’re women, they wrote, “We welcome all women to apply.”

As The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh said, “This isn’t remotely legal, not that Apple cares.” He continued, “As best I can tell, they’ve been running similar programs for more than a year. And now that this one is getting more attention, they still don’t care. They haven’t apologized,” because “this is what they believe.” Walsh summarized it well when he emphasized, “What Apple is doing in particular is a clear sign that the DEI obsession has not gone anywhere.” The companies that choose to walk that path appear set on ensuring everyone knows it.

Arielle Del Turco, director of Family Research Council’s Center for Religious Liberty, is not surprised by Apple’s decisions. As she shared with The Washington Stand, “The aggressive pursuit of DEI policies inevitably leads to this kind of discrimination.” And yet, “It is the height of hypocrisy that in the name of ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusivity,’ a major corporation like Apple is openly excluding certain groups of people.”

According to Del Turco, “When companies are choosing applicants based on their skin color or sex, they are regressing into exactly the type of discriminatory policies that the civil rights movement in America spent decades trying to eliminate.” As such, companies like Apple are engaging in the very behavior they claim to despise. But at the end of the day, “The simple truth is that individuals should not be judged or excluded based on immutable characteristics.”

Del Turco urged, “Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp policies are shameful, and they should change their application criteria and apologize.” Joseph Backholm, FRC’s senior fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement agreed, sharing with TWS that “people committed to DEI are committed to the idea that, to defeat racism, you must be racist.”

He continued, “They believe there is a good kind of racism and a bad kind of racism and to defeat the bad kind of racism you must engage in the good kind of racism.” Ultimately, “The bad kind of racism targets those they identify as ‘oppressed,’ while the good kind of racism targets those they identify as ‘oppressors.’” And this “is what is going on with Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp and what allows them to be racist and still feel good about it.”

According to Backholm, the Christian response to this is that we “should oppose these practices when we encounter them, because all forms of racism are wrong.” Not to mention, “if practices like this were to become normative, the world would definitely be a worse place.” However, he emphasized, “[W]e shouldn’t be … surprised or allow ourselves to be derailed” since “part of the Christian life is learning how to stay on mission despite the insanity around us.”

“We know the world is broken and shouldn’t be surprised when see evidence of that,” Backholm concluded. “Our job is to control the things we have control over and give to God the things we do not control.” So “If you’re in the leadership of Apple, fix it. If you’re not, pray for truth to prevail and do the good that God has put in front of you. We’ll drive ourselves mad trying to control things we can’t control.”