Google removed important cultural days of remembrance from its calendar services. Google claims this was an attempt to make organization easier by only providing public holiday dates. However, it is no coincidence this happens amidst Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs being destroyed.Â
The months that were removed include Pride Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Jewish, Hispanic, and Indigenous People’s month. The removal did not go unnoticed, causing an uproar among users. Many resulted in posting on Google’s support page in hopes of answers. One user pointed out the hypocrisy from Google—their motto being “Do the right thing”—stating it is “disgraceful” to remove such holidays; pointing out that the “I” in DEI stands for Inclusion not exclusion. Many users on the support page who claimed the removal is not worth caring about were not a part of any of the affected minority groups.Â
In an interview with Verge, Madison Cushman Veld—the Google spokesperson—detailed, “. . . 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. . .”Â
Google users began questioning: if Google cannot implement a wide range of holidays, how can Google be expected to hold mass amounts of personal data and passwords? Similarly on X, users made posts stating “Just because the calendars are being changed doesn’t mean we have to,”Â
According to Cushman, this change began in early 2024. However, the quiet removal didn’t come to fruition until Trump took office. This caused speculation behind the true reasoning on removing the holidays. The removal of these important cultural holidays signifies a deliberate agenda push. It signals the possible first of many attempts to erase the struggles of women, Black people, LGBTQ+ members, and many other minority groups.Â
In the height of Trump’s executive order, Google Maps has also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to “the Gulf of America.” This change only appears for U.S. users; those in Mexico will continue to see “the Gulf of Mexico.” In a tweet, Google stated, “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”Â
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, was outraged by this change. In a press conference, Sheinbaum questioned the legality of the name change and said The United States of America should be called “AmĂ©rica Mexicana” instead. This is not the first time Sheinbaum has retaliated against Trump’s efforts. When Trump took office, he added an additional 25 percent tariff on all imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. In a tweet, Sheinbaum responded: “I’ve instructed my economy minister to implement the plan B we’ve been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests.”Â
Despite these attempts to erase minorities, it is important to keep proudly celebrating the days that have significance to you. These days are the way we celebrate the harsh journeys overcome. Continuing to acknowledge these dates not only provides more safe spaces, but it also pays respect to those who faced great adversity but fought nonetheless for what is right.Â
Hearing all this information can be daunting, especially for those minority groups targeted. With such a delicate topic, be sure to verify all information and check your deeper understanding before sharing. Misinformation and fear-mongering halt the spread of accurate knowledge, causing chaos within communities that are stronger together. Use accurate, unbiased sources to help educate others on the significance of the removed holidays, and celebrate them with pride.