I'm sympathetic to diversity statements. I get why some people want them, or some departments want them from applicants. From my experience applying to PhD programs, though, writing and insisting on them is...unacademic and often downright misguided. When you write them you're confronted with essentially justifying your existence as it fits into the often nonsensical groupings of DEI initiatives. Your research is not appraised independent of your identity; instead, the obvious implication is that you will be appraised through your identity. The very of idea of well done scholarship (careful argumentation, corralling and presentation of evidence, citing sources and addressing counter-arguments) is insulted. Certain applicants are made to self-flagellate for their identity while others are incentivized to present their identity as an advantage.