(VitalNews.org) – In a move applauded by conservatives as aligning with Trump’s vision for a streamlined America, Google Calendar has chosen to remove DEI cultural observances like Pride Month and Black History Month from its listings.
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Google’s decision sparked both applause and backlash, raising questions about the company’s future direction.
Google Calendar’s overhaul now exclusively highlights public holidays and national observances, directly impacting its users by removing culturally significant events such as Pride Month and Women’s History Month.
This strategic shift comes after feedback deemed maintaining global observances untenable.
Critics accuse Google of downplaying critical cultural moments, but others see it as a stride toward the nationalism favored by the Trump administration.
The Verge first reported on Google’s Calendar changes, which have been widely discussed online.
Social media lit up with confusion and frustration as users realized they now needed to manually reinstate events like Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Madison Cushman Veld, a Google spokesperson, explained how Google previously added these events manually but found it unsustainable, shedding light on the decision’s practical implications, reports The Daily Guardian.
“Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of cultural moments in a wide number of countries around the world. We got feedback that some other events and countries were missing — and maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn’t scalable or sustainable,” Veld said.
Google’s adjustment aligns closely with Donald Trump’s executive orders, which took aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices by federal agencies.
Specific changes included the Department of State banning embassies from flying ideological flags, often seen as symbolic of Trump’s presidency.
Despite Google’s assertion that these changes originated from logistical issues, many perceive them within a broader political context, reflecting the former administration’s values.
Amidst the controversy, Trump supporters may find solace in Google’s decision to pare down its calendar, resonating with a return to a focus on distinctly American values.
Google clarified it will still celebrate major cultural occasions in its other products, such as Black History Month, leaving room for minor adjustments in the future.
However, the absence of these observances ignited debates about Google’s role in cultural representation.
While critics argue that this move is a step back for inclusivity, there’s a sense among conservatives that the decision aligns well with a vision for America that prioritizes traditional observances.
🏳🌈BREAKING NEWS:
Google officially removed Pride Month from its Calendar app. pic.twitter.com/sw3W3fqoTG
— Update NEWS (@UpdateNews724) February 10, 2025
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