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In a world where representation and acknowledgment matter more than ever, Google Calendar’s recent decision to remove Black History Month, Pride Month and Holocaust Remembrance Week from its platform has sparked significant controversy — and rightly so.
While the tech giant claims this change is an effort to simplify the calendar experience, the move has left many people with questions. Is the convenience of a clean interface more important than honoring these critical cultural and historical observances?
Google has long positioned itself as a champion of diversity and inclusion, often featuring doodles on its homepage and publicly supporting marginalized communities. However, this recent change undermines those efforts, sending a mixed message about the company’s true priorities.
When global platforms with vast influence opt out of acknowledging significant cultural moments, it isn’t just an oversight — it is an erasure.
Black History Month observed every February, serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles, triumphs and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. Pride Month, celebrated in June, is a vital time for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to honor the progress made while recognizing the challenges that remain. Holocaust Remembrance Week is a solemn period dedicated to remembering the atrocities of the Holocaust and reaffirming a commitment to combat antisemitism.
Each of these observances carry weight, not just for the communities they directly affect but for society at large. They foster education, empathy and solidarity — this is so important for people to think about.
By removing these observances from Google Calendar’s default listings, the platform is not just deprioritizing these important moments; it risks normalizing their absence. This is particularly troubling given the rise of misinformation, historical revisionism and prejudice in digital spaces.
Of course, Google offers the ability to manually add these events back to one’s calendar. But that places the burden on the user, rather than taking a stand as a company that prioritizes education and awareness. It also suggests that these observances are optional, a checkbox that can be ticked off or ignored at will, rather than essential dates that deserve acknowledgment by default.
The decision also raises questions about which holidays and observances remain and why.
If the aim is to reduce clutter, how did Google decide what to cut and what to keep? Why keep President’s Day? Or Columbus Day? A lack of transparency in this decision-making process only deepens suspicions and fuels concerns about implicit bias.
In an era where companies are increasingly expected to take a stand on social issues, Google’s choice feels like a step backward. The company has a chance to fix this by reinstating these important dates and demonstrating that they value cultural awareness as much as user convenience.
Failing to do so risks alienating communities, damaging their reputation and losing the trust of users who believe that technology should not just serve, but also reflect, the world in which we live.
Chloe Porter is a columnist. Contact her at [email protected].