16 Nov 2021

Diversity Lens - Issue 102

Diversity Lens - Issue 133 Diversity Lens - Issue 132 Diversity Lens - Issue 131

Nov 16

Diversity Lens - Issue 102

Welcome to Diversity Lens.

This week, the government has come under increased scrutiny. The Covid death toll is back on the rise, and the Cop26 summit is reaching an underwhelming close (at the time of writing).

But there are some positive sides to this week. After his notable commitment to feeding children from low income backgrounds, Marcus Rashford has become an MBE recipient. Meanwhile the first pill to treat covid-10 has been approved in the UK.

On a more personal note, Diversifying.io were honoured by the Business Reporter this week with their Best of British Business Award. Scroll down to hear more!
Eddie, Customer Success Executive

"‘It is so normalised’: community in Yorkshire on cricket racism scandal"
The Guardian

Azeem Rafiq, a 30-year-old former cricketer, recently spoke out about the racial abuse he experienced at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, one of England's most historic sporting clubs. He describes feeling close to taking his own life.

Last month, Yorkshire concluded from their investigation that no one would face disciplinary action. A recent article renews uproar by claiming that abusive language about Rafiq's Pakistani heritage was determined to be "friendly and good-natured banter".

Since, Yorkshire was suspended from hosting international matches, and the Chairman resigned.

Yorkshire men and women of south Asian backgrounds say this story reflects their own everyday experiences. They describe the racism as "less in your face than it used to be" but very much still there. Often disguised as banter, when coming from your own friends, colleagues or teammates, you're often forced to just let it pass, they explain.

What happens next at Yorkshire will be significant to how we move forward antiracism in our sports, and in society as a whole.

Forward

Text: IN OTHER NEWS. Background image shows picture of protestors.

Multiple access failures at COP26 ‘send shocking message’ to disabled people

Israeli energy minister, Karine Elharrar, a wheelchair-user, was due to attend the conference but was forced to return to her hotel when faced with accessibility failures.
Her vehicle was not allowed inside the compound and the shuttle bus offered was not wheelchair-accessible. Further accessibility concerns were noted for others trying to participate including a lack of BSL interpreters and captions for COP26 broadcasts.

“We know that disabled people are left behind in climate disasters, floods and fires, and now we are left out of the conference that is supposedly meant to address that."

Josh Cavallo: the world's only openly gay top-tier men's footballer

Josh Cavallo grew up with no gay role models in football. He didn't think coming out was an option and hid his sexual identity for years. But the more successful Cavallo got, and the more recognisable he became, the mask was harder and harder to maintain.
Cavallo reached a point at which he didn't want to lie anymore - when he came out recently and let the mask go he describes feeling "on top of the world".

“If men’s football has come such a long way since the dark days when Justin Fashanu came out, where are the others?”

Married lesbian couple launch discrimination action against NHS

A married lesbian couple are launching a legal case against a branch of NHS fertility sector, claiming discrimination against LGBT+ families under the Equality Act.

The influencers (Megan and Whitney, or more commonly known as “Wegan”), with over 220,000 followers across their platforms, have accused their Clinical Commissioning Group of penalising them financially because of their sexuality.
Same-sex couples must pay for treatments costing £30,000 or more before receiving help from the NHS, while heterosexual couples are required only to try to conceive for two years.

Director of The Harder They Fall, Jeymes Samuel, noticed that whenever Black actors were present in period TV shows or films, there was always an explanation for why they were there, as if Black people didn’t exist in those times...

Samuel decided to right the wrongs for viewers in his film, a western with an all-Black cast, striving to create balance in the period genre. In cinemas now and on Netflix.

Text: ENTER THE WORK SPHERE. Background image shows picture of protestors.

AWARD Best of British Business 2021: Diversifying.io

We’re so delighted to be named a “Best of British Business” in the Business Reporterawards this month.

As a mission-led organisation, social change is at our very core, and drives all that we do. To be recognised for this work is an incredible honour and propels us on our mission in the knowledge that there is an appetite for change and a desire for a more equitable world for us all.

See how our job board is doing things differently.

Portugal makes it illegal for your boss to text you after work

In a bid to better support remote workers and encourage a healthy work-life balance, the Portuguese parliament have passed new laws for employers. Penalties will be incurred if employees are contacted outside of working hours, if they are forced to pay extra utility bills, or if surveillance software is enforced.
Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security says they consider the country one of the best for accommodating remote workers.

Barbican staff to receive ‘anti-discrimination training’ after complaints of bullying and racism

Previous accusations made by Barbican staff have accused the organisation of making 'diversity hires', of “belittling women of colour’s achievements” and making “stereotypical assumptions about race”. In response, the centre's 'action plan' mean every member of staff will undergo this new training with a priority for senior staff members.
The allegations will be considered by the Board later this month.