Rainbow tokenism, cis-heteronormativity and global backlash: Rainbow employees’ concerns about workplace climate in New Zealand

Purpose This article examines the perspectives of Rainbow employees on workplace climate challenges across New Zealand organisations. It also reveals the impacts of contemporary conservative political discourses surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender on Rainbow employees’ workplace experiences. Design/methodology/approach This article draws on qualitative data from Rainbow employees across 18 organisations in diverse sectors in New Zealand. The data includes survey comments from an employee perspective survey conducted in 17 organisations, as well as interview data from a focus group held in one organisation. Findings This article explores three interconnected layers of challenge: organisational, interpersonal and political. At the organisational level, the study identifies manifestations of Rainbow tokenism, where superficial gestures and tick-box exercises create the appearance of inclusion. Interpersonally, cis-heteronormative microaggressions persist, disproportionately marginalising transgender and gender-diverse employees. Politically, a growing global and national backlash against DEI initiatives and Rainbow communities has left Rainbow employees feeling under attack and unsupported by their organisations. Social implications Highlighting that organisations serve as active arenas of political contestation – both shaped by and capable of reshaping broader sociopolitical forces – this article suggests that organisations must reaffirm their commitment to Rainbow inclusion amid intensifying backlash. Originality/value By situating Rainbow employees’ perspectives within both New Zealand and international political dynamics, this article offers a nuanced understanding of workplace climate in an underexamined national context and its entanglement with broader sociopolitical currents. Rainbow employees’ concerns about political backlash and waning support underscore the far-reaching influence of US politics across the Pacific, revealing how authoritarian forces can reinforce organisational cis-heteronormativity.