Founder of Fox Corp.’s OutKick Clay Travis has a long record of attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, however, his company’s job listings all promote a commitment to DEI.
DEI policies are meant to promote a more welcoming and respectful workplace and have the potential to increase company profits. Hosts at Fox News, which is also owned by Outkick’s parent company Fox Corp., have also railed against DEI while their company used the principles in its recruitment practices.
Travis is a right-wing conspiracy theorist and regular guest on Fox News known for promoting outrage with racist and anti-trans remarks. His sports and variety outlet, OutKick, was purchased by Fox Corporation in 2021. The company operates using a thin veil of sports coverage to promote right-wing outrage. Much of OutKick’s coverage mirrors Fox News programming, with OutKick hosts regularly appearing on the network.
Last week, Travis got defensive on Twitter when billionaire Mark Cuban tweeted a screenshot of Fox's DEI policy.
Currently all open job positions at OutKick which have been posted on Fox's career site (a site Travis has previously promoted) include the Fox Corp. policy on DEI:
At FOX, we foster a culture and environment where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent across our company. We live in a diverse world, with different ideas and different perspectives that come together to spark new ideas and make great things happen. That means reflecting the diversity of the world around us is critical to our company’s success. We ensure that our viewers, communities and employees feel heard, represented, and celebrated both on screen and off.
Despite the job postings highlighting OutKick's commitment to DEI as part of Fox Corp., OutKick continues to spew anti-DEI rhetoric to the public:
- Travis went after Bud Light after the brand did a promotion with trans TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney, claiming that “like every company,” it has been “taken over by the diversity, equity, inclusion, the DEI people.” He went on to say those inside the company are fearful of speaking out “for fear that they will get fired,” adding, “There is a conspiracy of silence.” [Premiere Networks, The Clay and Buck Show, 4/3/23]
- When discussing the shooting at a school in Louisville, Kentucky, Travis discouraged businesses from hiring people who list pronouns in their resume. He said, “If you run a business and you hire someone who puts their pronouns on their resume, you are asking for a diversity and inclusion disaster. I think it is a very bad move.” [OutKick, OutKick the Show, 4/11/23]
- While criticizing trans athletes competing in sports, Travis asserted, “There is a limit to inclusion.” He also argued that allowing trans athletes to compete “starts to exclude women from being able to actually participate in women’s athletics.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 6/13/23]
- Travis previously tweeted about how much he dislikes diversity initiatives in hiring. In March 2018, he tweeted, “The modern day American obsession with cosmetic diversity ensures that most companies have tons of people who look different and think the exact same. What’s the benefit in that? What makes a country and company strong is intellectual diversity, not cosmetic diversity.” [Twitter, 3/5/18]
- Travis claimed “diversity of perspective” is “far more important” than “diversity of color.” Travis claimed that students were going to southern schools from out of state because the campuses were more welcoming to “a diversity of viewpoints.” Travis stated, “we talk about diversity of color. I think what's far more important is diversity of perspective.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 4/24/23]
