The Trump administration is set to enforce new guidelines that will see national parks remove any merchandise associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from their gift shops. This directive has drawn scrutiny as employees and organizations managing these parks express uncertainty about which items will be labeled objectionable.
Last month, the Interior Department issued a memo stating that by December 19, parks must eliminate retail items that it believes go against President Trump’s ideological agenda. The stated goal is to foster 'neutral spaces that serve all visitors,' but many consider this to be a form of censorship that detracts from the educational value of national parks.
Conservation groups are voicing strong objections, arguing that removing quality educational products undermines the National Park Service’s mission. At the same time, some conservative think tanks praise the initiative, stating that taxpayer-funded establishments should not propagate 'divisive ideologies.'
Alan Spears from the National Parks Conservation Association argues that this initiative threatens to erase important cultural and historical narratives, effectively silencing voices and histories that are vital to understanding the country's diverse heritage.
Currently, staff at parks are uncertain about the exact parameters of these new directives, with no training provided on what constitutes 'neutrality.' Meanwhile, parks continue to feature items that highlight significant historical figures like Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as merchandise related to the Civil Rights Movement.
Critics of the initiative include individuals like Mikah Meyer, who advocates for LGBTQ+ representation in parks. After a successful business selling inclusive park merchandise, Meyer is now witnessing the gradual removal of these items from shops following the new guidelines: 'How does banning these items support freedom of speech?' he asks.
