I was catching up on the news this week and read an interview with Rebecca Don Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Equality Network, speaking about the way trans people are being talked about in politics and the press. She warned that these “imported culture wars” are not really about women’s safety at all:

“The ultimate objective is quashing women’s rights... Once we allow trans women to be scapegoated, it’s a slippery slope.”

Her comments raise a wider concern. If trans rights can be rolled back, what’s to stop abortion rights, or other protections, from being next?

This comes as Mary-Ann Stephenson is confirmed as the new chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, despite concern about her record on platforming anti-trans voices. So, while the appointment may be seen as a routine leadership change, for many it feels like another signal that institutions meant to protect marginalised groups may be moving further away from doing so.

Karim - Lead D&I Consultant

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LET'S GET INTO IT 👇

ChatGPT introduces mental health guardrails

OpenAI updates its chatbot to respond more safely and sensitively to signs of distress and emotional dependency.

What's changing?

ChatGPT is getting a safety upgrade. After concerns that it missed signs of mental distress or delusion in some users, OpenAI is making changes to how the chatbot responds in personal conversations. Now, ChatGPT will encourage users to take breaks during long chats and steer away from giving direct advice on sensitive issues. Instead, it will focus on helping people reflect and make their own decisions, offering pros and cons and signposting to trusted mental health resources when needed.

The company says it's working with over 90 medical professionals from around the world to help it evaluate how ChatGPT responds in complex conversations. An expert group is also being set up to help shape the approach going forward.

Why does this matter for inclusion?

Lots of people turn to tools like ChatGPT because they can't easily access support elsewhere. That includes disabled people, LGBTQIA+ youth, those facing mental health stigma, and people who can’t afford therapy or are stuck on waiting lists. That makes safety essential. If a chatbot gives harmful advice or feeds unhealthy thinking, it can do more harm than good. And while AI isn’t a replacement for real care, for some people, it’s the only place they feel able to talk.

These updates are a step in the right direction, but they also raise big questions about privacy, power, and support. If people are sharing their most personal struggles with a bot, how do we make sure they’re protected and not left more vulnerable?

As OpenAI says, success isn’t about how long people chat, it’s about whether they get what they need, and know where else to turn.

Government to ban NDAs in harassment and discrimination cases

New legislation aims to stop employers silencing victims and create safer, more accountable workplaces.

What's being proposed?

The UK Government has announced plans to ban the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases involving harassment or discrimination, as part of the upcoming Employment Rights Bill.

NDAs are often used to settle complaints quietly, with workers receiving a payout in exchange for silence. But campaigners say this protects employers over people and allows toxic behaviour to continue unchecked. Under the new law, clauses preventing workers from speaking out about harassment or discrimination will be void, unless the worker requests it themselves, with legal advice and fully informed consent. The aim is to tackle the misuse of NDAs and shift the power balance between workers and employers.

What could this mean for safer workplaces?

This could mark a turning point for inclusion. Many people, particularly women, LGBTQIA+ staff, disabled people and people of colour, have been silenced through NDAs. Some have even been barred from speaking to therapists or support services. That kind of enforced silence can be isolating and damaging. Ending this practice could make it easier for people to speak up, hold organisations to account, and stay in the workforce without fear. But some worry that scrapping NDAs might push more people into legal disputes, which can be lengthy and traumatic. NDAs, while flawed, have sometimes offered a quiet way to move on.

So while the proposed reform sends a strong signal that protecting reputations shouldn’t come before protecting people, it’s not a magic fix. There are deeper workplace dynamics that still need to be tackled. If passed, the change could reshape how employers respond to complaints and how settlements are written. But whether it leads to lasting cultural change remains to be seen.

Increase in cancer cases linked to skin-lightening creams

Doctors warn of cancers, irreversible skin damage, and a billion-pound industry built on colourism.

A dangerous beauty standard

The global skin-lightening industry is worth over £8bn and growing fast – fuelled by colourism, colonial legacies and the belief that lighter skin means greater social and economic advantage.

From South Africa to India, women, and some men, are using bleaching creams laced with toxic ingredients such as hydroquinone and steroids. Many don’t know the risks until it’s too late: irreversible pigmentation, thinning skin, infections, stretch marks, excess hair growth – and, increasingly, skin cancer.

Professor Ncoza Dlova, head of dermatology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, sees these effects daily. Her research found nearly a third of women surveyed use skin-lightening creams, with 90% unaware of the side effects.

Why this is a global issue

While colourism often plays out differently in each country, the pressure to conform to Eurocentric beauty ideals spans continents – from Africa to Asia, South America to the Pacific. In some countries, skin tone still influences career prospects, prison sentences and social status.

Bans on certain chemicals have had only limited impact, with weak regulation and a surge in social media influencers marketing the products as harmless “transformations.” Dlova is calling for sustained public health campaigns that challenge colourism and promote safe alternatives, drawing on past successes in anti-smoking and HIV awareness.

“It’s very painful,” she says. “Some patients become depressed or suicidal when they realise the damage is permanent. This is why we need a global, united response – not just for Africa, but for everyone affected.”

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