14 Apr 2023

Diversity Lens - Issue 169

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

Our latest podcast episode with psychotherapist Ngozi Cadmus got us thinking this week: how many people feel stuck in a job that is damaging to their mental health? We're betting it's a LOT, especially in this economic climate. Acute stress can almost seem like the norm if that is all you have known in your working career. But as Ngozi emphasised in our podcast, we spend more time at work than anywhere else and it has a huge impact on your life.

Our main takeaway from the conversation? If you're in a job where you are excluded, under-appreciated or stagnant, don't stay loyal - plan your exit out.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Showing until 21 May at Barbican, London.

Exhibition:
Alice Neel: Hot Off the Griddle

Alice Neel was a radical creative in the twentieth century. Her body of art is predominantly made up on portraits, but not the kind you might be used to. The first picture you see in the exhibition is a nude self-portrait at 80-years-old. Throughout the show we are shown other women's bodies that are unapologetically authentic, as well as civil rights leaders, people living in poverty and queer performers. As a "collector of souls", Neel painted figures not normally brought to live on canvas, including many Black and Puerto Rican portraits. Her work was unfashionable for the time, but also highly dangerous and her associations with the people she painted brought her to the attention of the FBI.

STORY OF THE WEEK

Britain ‘Not Close to Being a Racially Just Society’, Finds Two-Year Research Project

This is the biggest and most comprehensive survey of race inequality in the UK for more than a quarter of a century. It found “strikingly high” levels of abuse.
Over a third of people from ethnic and religious minorities have experienced “racially motivated” abuse, reported across a range of ethnicities and areas of society, including school, workplaces, policing and housing. They found that British life and institutions are plagued by “substantial ethnic inequalities.” The report is unequivocal in its findings which challenge the Sewell Report - a recent government-commissioned study which was accused of downplaying racism in Britain.

The survey also recorded discrimination that stemmed from the pandemic, confirming the rise in racist abuse against Asian groups, and the disproportionate amount of bereavement in ethnic minority groups. The publishing of this comprehensive research by a team of academics offers the most up-to-date insights into discrimination against ethnic minorities in the UK. The full findings can be found in the book, ‘Racism and Ethnic Inequality in a Time of Crisis.’ The team also qualified their findings, suggesting that figures could be in fact understating the extent of ethnic inequality.

IN OTHER NEWS

What Is White Feminism and How Does It Harm Women of Colour?

“White feminism” is a term that refers to a specific type of exclusionary feminism centered around the needs and wants of middle-class white cisgender women and excludes women of colour, trans, queer or disabled women, or women from other religions. Koa Beck, author of White Feminism, describes it as an “approach to gender equality that ultimately asks you to aspire to whiteness and not equal rights."

While there is no doubt that white cisgender women experience acute sexism, “white feminism” ignores the intersectionality of experiences. Examples in action include the fight for white women to vote rather than all women, or more recently, attitudes around the banning on the hijab.

From Bud Light to Nike, Brands Are Facing Conservative Backlash for Featuring Trans People

The athletics brand, Nike, recently partnered with a transgender model to advertise their sports bra range. A small but vocal contingency have shown outrage online, spouting anti-trans hate and promising to boycott the company. However, the LGBTQIA+ community has huge purchasing power and big brands know that queer-inclusive messaging is beneficial to business. These industry giants can also play a big part in increasing cultural acceptance of gender diversity and queer identity in the mainstream. Despite online trolls, it seems diverse and progressive ads are here to stay.

‘It’s Like You’re a Criminal, But I Am Not a Criminal.’

First-hand accounts of the trauma of the UK asylum system.

The Conversation speak with asylum seekers living in Yorkshire to examine the psychological effects of the UK immigration system. One woman, Angela, had been in the UK nine years already but was still waiting for her asylum to be granted when they spoke. She fled Nigeria following a terrorist attack that killed her father and husband. Once in the UK, Angela had to move around detention centres and hostels, between numerous cities, and she relied on food banks and the help of charities. "I had a beautiful life in Nigeria", Angela explained at one of her court hearings, it wasn't by choice that she sought refuge in the UK. All involved in this research had gone through traumatic experiences fleeing acute danger, yet the UK did not provide the safe haven they were seeking.

Gender Reform Bill: Scottish Government to Take Legal Action Against Westminster

In December, the UK government blocked a gender reform bill voted for by Scottish parliament. Now, Scotland is taking legal action against the UK government and requesting a judicial review. The bill in question would've allowed transgender people to self-identify, meaning they could access a gender recognition certificate without a medical diagnosis, a needlessly complicated step. The blocking of the bill was an unprecedented move by the UK, and one that Stonewall said, "made clear that they see trans people as a threat to be contained."

WORK SPHERE

We want to give a shout out to Graft Talent at Diversifying Agencies! A small but mighty company in the heart of Leeds, they are involved in many organisations - from Leeds Tech to WILD (Women in Leeds Digital) and Northcoders, they're creating a community of Grafters with care and DE&I at the centre.

Whether you are applying for a job, or simply want to connect with tech leaders in the region, Graft is the place to be. Find out more about Graft Talent and browse open roles at Diversifying Agencies.

Join Us at The Board Awards 2023 to Recognise, Celebrate and Inspire.

On Friday 19th May 2023 we will come together for our inaugural awards ceremony to celebrate the progress that's been made on Boards so far, and to inspire all of us to keep fighting for inclusion at leadership level. Join us for inspiring talks, networking, drinks and more! Get your ticket now and use the code EARLYBIRD23 for a discount.

UK Live Music Firms Report Significant Gender Pay Gap

During the pandemic, the submitting of gender pay gap reports was put on hold. They are now being submitted again, revealing the pay for the 2022/2023 period, with some troubling results. The report has shown that some live music companies' gender pay gaps are between 16.5%-37.5 %.
While Live Nation has reported an improvement in their pay gap, reducing it to 6.6% in 2022/2023, other firms such as AMG have shown “an increase in pay disparity during the last four to five years.” And Ticketmaster has said that “women’s median hourly pay is still significantly lower than men's."