Kristin Crowley, the Los Angeles Fire Chief, has become the latest target of right-wing misinformation campaigns aimed at diverting attention from climate change amidst the devastating LA fires. In what seems to be a common theme, prominent conservative figures are steering public discourse towards baseless claims that the fire department’s diversity initiatives are to blame for the fires being uncontrollable, positioning Crowley as a scapegoat.
The social media account Libs of TikTok, notorious for spreading misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, posted: “Meet Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. She boasts about being the first female and LGBTQ fire chief in the LA Fire Department. Promoting a culture of DEI is her priority. Does this make you feel safer?” In another post, the account, with nearly 4 million followers, stated: “DEI will get people killed. DEI must DIE.”
Crowley, the city’s first female and LGBTQ+ fire chief, has a proven track record with 25 years of service in the LA Fire Department. Claims suggesting she was appointed merely to satisfy political correctness are entirely baseless and ignore her extensive qualifications and experience.
Elon Musk, owner of X and a frequent amplifier of misinformation, contributed to this narrative by stating, “They prioritized DEI over saving lives and homes.” Responding to Libs of TikTok, he added, “Wild theory: maybe, just maybe, the root cause wasn’t climate change?”
This rhetoric reflects a broader effort by right-wing pundits to deflect public attention from scientific evidence linking natural disasters to climate change. Instead, they promote economic policies favouring wealthy elites and champion traditional values rooted in a narrow interpretation of masculinity. Underpinning these attacks on DEI initiatives is a deeper anxiety, the fear that traditional masculine ideals and the societal structures built around them are being eroded.
There is a rapid spread of unfounded claims about DEI hires, especially when targeting queer women in leadership roles, raising questions about why these narratives are so compelling to a significant portion of the public? What does this widespread acceptance of misinformation reveal about the current state of U.S. politics? And most importantly, what are the implications for women as the country endures a second Trump presidency?
These claims against Crowley echo the attacks against Kamala Harris from the republican campaign last year calling her as well a diversity candidate for the Democrats and unqualified for president. Targeted disinformation fosters political instability, enabling extremist rhetoric to gain traction. The persistence of misinformation, often perpetuated by the same bad actors, keeps being repeated because it is working. Many US voters, confused and fearful, gravitate toward the loudest and most pervasive voices offering convenient targets for their anger.
This is not a new phenomenon, but it raises urgent concerns for women in the U.S. It is no secret that the lives of women and LGBTQ+ individuals could become increasingly difficult under a second Trump administration. The political and social right is pushing for a resurgence of traditional masculinity in power and a rollback of women’s authority. The end goal of these misinformation campaigns and the manufactured conservative shift, particularly among young people, appears to be restricting women’s power over their lives, bodies, and careers, pushing them backwards in time and into the domestic roles.
False allegations and the proliferation of misleading articles, news pieces, and social media posts act as foot soldiers in the broader campaign to strip women of power and agency. Accusations that women in authority are unqualified are strategic attempts to undermine their credibility and discourage their participation in public life.
