That’s not true one won’t be negatively affected. If somebody is being given an opportunity because of their skin color, that means another person is having an opportunity taken away or delayed. That’s just how quotas work.

It’s frustrating to see, especially when somebody is discriminated against for e.g. being white, but fills “other” URM boxes that aren’t visible such as sexuality or gender identity. A well-off cis-het person with worse qualifications will be given higher priority at resume review stage than a destitute queer person just because they have the ethnicity the company is looking for.

> If you're a capable software engineer, you won't be negatively affected by affirmative action either.

Well, but maybe you will. Because if you’re not “diverse enough”, some more “diverse enough” person, maybe less qualified, will take your place.

you have to do their work for them