22 Jul 2022

Diversity Lens - Issue 134

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

Jul 22

Diversity Lens - Issue 134

Welcome to Diversity Lens.

It's that time of year when half of the office are always away on Summer holidays. However, research shows that 21% of workers feel they must stay connected even while on annual leave.

With the advent of hybrid working, it's all too easy to slip into the habit of checking your work emails or doing a small task which snowballs into hours. If your emails say out of office, make sure you are! It's important to set boundaries with yourself; we find turning off notifications on your phone and a thorough handover before leaving are good places to start. Don't fall into "grind culture" patterns, it only leads to burnouts.

TV: Queer as Folk

Russell T. Davies' Queer as Folk has been reimagined for a millennial audience. Although the names and plot have changed, the core narrative stays the same. Two characters are at different stages in their lives: one experienced frequenter of the LGBTQ+ scene and one just entering it, this time in present day New Orleans as opposed to nineties Manchester. The premise of the series is prompted by a horrific mass shooting in the first episode that cuts through the emotional core of the community.

Unlike the original and it's previous remake, this Queer as Folk pulls trans, queer and characters of colour into the centre and highlights issues such as queer parenting, generational norms, virtue signalling and gender non/affirmation. Available to stream in the UK now on StarzPlay via Amazon Video.

"Why Trans Pride still feels grassroots"
By Almaas Bokhari, Customer Success Consultant

"Trans Pride truly feels like it belongs to the trans community and their allies."

BAME Recruitment team member Almaas reflects on their experience of Trans Pride in 2022.

Trans pride feels like it has inherent meaning as a political assembly of people. There is a genuine sense that this is a protest rather than a party. The march is set against the backdrop of the UK falling down the rankings of LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Europe for the 3rd consecutive year, primarily due to its treatment of the trans community. Trans people marched with the knowledge the UK government reneged on its pledge to ban conversion therapy, specifically for trans people. We marched knowing that the government has refused to issue gender-neutral passports and insisted that all public sector buildings cannot contain unisex restrooms.

It’s perhaps because of this context that trans pride has to be political in a way that other pride celebrations are not.

There has been a 400% increase in the reporting of trans issues by mainstream media outlets in the UK in the past 5 years. The reporting has tended to focus on divisive stories and fear-mongering such as the recurring theme that accepting trans women creates a risk of assault in women’s toilets, whilst completely ignoring the very real risk faced by trans women using men’s toilets."

Bex Wade

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

UK people of colour four times more likely to live in areas ‘at higher risk from heatwaves’

According to new research, people of colour are four times more likely to live in areas at risk from extreme heatwaves in the UK. One in three people from minority ethnic groups lived in areas most exposed to extreme heat, compared with one in twelve white people. Birmingham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Nottingham are among the UK's most ethnically diverse areas and also the most at risk. Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said, “Our research shows that the poorest people and people of colour are disproportionately impacted by extreme weather in England." This is true across the UK and internationally.

“Environmental justice must be at the centre of governments’ climate strategies”

Women's health: Mandatory training for all new doctors

Under plans to improve women’s health, from the academic year 2024/25 there will be mandatory training and assessment specifically relating to women’s health for all medical students and new doctors.
This is in response to a call for evidence in Spring 2021, the results of which showed respondents felt there was “a lack of understanding among some medical professionals about health conditions which only affect women”. The government also plans to invest in mobile breast cancer screening units, to update guidance around treatment of severe endometriosis as well as making improvements to IVF that include female same sex couples no longer having to prove they are having difficulty conceiving before being able to access services on the NHS.

Child of refugees becomes Germany’s first black female cabinet minister

Aminata Touré, whose parents immigrated to Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in 1992 from war-torn Mali, has recently started her position as minister for social affairs in Germany. As the first black female cabinet minister, the 29-year-old is seen as a symbol of the new spirit of cooperation between Christian Democrats and Greens. Touré was very moved to discover that many black people in Germany find her political efforts inspiring. She intends to use her new political position to combat racism, which, according to her, is widespread in German society, as well as the widening gap between the affluent and poor.

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

This week, we’re proud to be shining a light on the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The IOPC was created to oversee the police complaints system in England and Wales, setting the standards by which the police should handle complaints, underpinning their work with ED&I to forge a new path, promote and ensure equality and equity in policing.

Their deep commitment to ED&I extends to their colleagues, and they strongly believe that having a diverse workforce is essential to providing a service that is fit for purpose. With a new round of applications now open for Trainee Investigator roles, now is your chance to join an organisation truly making a difference.

Find out more about this opportunity on Diversifying.io.

UK pay falls at fastest rate on record as inflation hits

Between March & May this year, official figures have shown that pay excluding bonuses was down 2.8% from a year earlier when adjusted for inflation. Inflation hit 9.1% in May, the highest level in 40 years, and is expected to climb higher by Autumn.

Unemployment is down and job vacancies are up, but there is concern that people will be "living in in - work poverty” as wages are not rising with inflation. Unions are calling for wages to reflect the cost of living, but ministers have warned that this would push inflation even higher.

Do you check your emails when you're on holiday? Many of us are guilty of failing to disconnect completely during our annual leave. Particularly with the rise of hybrid working, its all too easy to slip into work habits, perhaps check your emails quickly or reply to a Teams notification. 21% of workers feel they must stay connected even while on holiday and 16% said the line between their work and home lives was "too blurred to truly disconnect". One in four surveyed admitted to checking their emails on holiday. How do we stop the temptation of being constantly online?

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22 Jul 2022

Diversity Lens - Issue 134

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Diversity Lens - Issue 134

Welcome to Diversity Lens.

Need support on your D&I journey?

Need support on
your D&I journey?