ABSTRACT
Although many organizations, including university psychology departments, have expanded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, these initiatives often center a limited set of marginalized identities, leaving others underrepresented and potentially undermining identity safety. We analyzed diversity statements from 100 U.S. psychology departments (Study 1) and found that race/ethnicity, gender/sex, and sexual orientation were most frequently represented. Across two follow-up experimental studies (N = 639), omissions of commonly represented identities (race/ethnicity) were more noticeable and reduced anticipated departmental equity, whereas omissions of less-represented identities (body size) were less noticed and had no such effect (Study 2). Participants evaluated diversity statements less positively and attributed greater external motivation when body size was included, suggesting backlash against size inclusion. However, fat participants reported greater departmental interest and anticipated less fat stigma when body size was explicitly included (Study 3); diversity in faculty body size did not influence participants’ evaluations of departments or equity perceptions.