11 Dec 2020

Diversity Lens - Issue 56

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

Dec 11

Diversity Lens - Issue 56

Welcome to Diversity Lens

Diversify your news consumption.

IN A RUSH?
This week we look at stories of representation in the travel industry, and in the media landscape. An extensive study on UK discrimination is released, as well as some tips on spotting a bad company culture. Also this week, an insight into what it means to be a Dalit woman. Scroll down for job vacancies!

LATEST NEWS

Animation tells story of lesbian couple who met during COVID

Tinder have a released a short animation that tells the story of two women meeting in lockdown via the app. It follows the development of their relationship from their match, to working together over Zoom and planning for a post-pandemic world. The film was created by queer singer-songwriter GrapeGuitarBox and Deepti, a queer illustrator and animator for The Museum of Queer Swipe Stories, in partnership with Gaysi Family. The short aims to act as a reminder of "the resilience of human connection, regardless of the nature of it". Click the still to watch.
Read more... (1 minute)

‘I just didn't see myself represented in the travel industry’: Ella Paradis of the Black Explorer

Ella Paradis has created a magazine for Black travellers. Ella has loved travelling since she was a child, as an unaccompanied minor on a plane to Jamaica to visit her grandparents. The world of tourism and travel journalism is an exclusive sector, seriously lacking in diversity, "in adverts, in the top spots in travel journalism, or presenting travel documentaries". The first issue of the Black Explorer was entitled 'We Go Too', written by Black travellers and writers.
"How we navigate the world comes with its own nuances, from dealing with anti-Blackness abroad to the need for Black joy"
Ella is carving out a space for herself in the industry she loves, and inviting others to join the 'Black British travel movement'.
Read more... (10 minutes)

Where are all the disabled people on screen?

We are still seeing a stark lack of representation of disabled people in the media, and where disabled characters do exist, many are portrayed problematically. Most recently, Sia has been criticised for casting a neurotypical actress for the autistic protagonist in her debut film. The issue of representation extends beyond Hollywood to our everyday media, from daytime TV to online adverts. A 2016 report found that only 0.06% of people featured in UK adverts were disabled, and this year it was found that only 1 in 10 of businesses surveyed usually included persons with disabilities in their marketing communications. This lack of portrayal is severely out of sync with the reality of our society and will have serious ramifications for disabled people, and their loved ones, growing up amid this media landscape.
Read more... (4 minutes)

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INSIGHTS

10 little things that can highlight a bad company culture
Culture and values at work is becoming more and more important to job seekers; but how do you spot healthy and open workspaces as opposed to toxic environments? Companies are beginning to share a glimpse into their cultures with prospective clients or employees through testimonials and video content, however it is important to recognise some simple warning signs. Jake Wilder reccomends watching out for employers that sell you on perks rather than the work, watch out if everyone in the company looks the same, or if no one talks about the company's mission, vision and values.
Read more... (7 minutes)

Trans at Work

Mermaids, one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charities, launched their #TransAtWork campaign a couple weeks back in honour of Transgender Awareness Week. The project aims to celebrate the many trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people simply doing what they love to do, in professional work environments everyday.
"For many trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse young people, [...] they don’t have the opportunity to see people like them at work."
Mermaids want to show that gender diverse people can succeed in whatever line of work they are passionate about, and that their queerness should never hold them back from dreaming big. Explore the campaign and discover an oceanographer, actors, engineers, technicians, an anthropologist, all #TransAtWork.
Hear their stories...

STORY OF THE WEEK

Religion, race and nationality – what are our prejudices and how can we overcome them?

What do you think of your neighbours? How divided is Britain? Have prejudices deepened since the EU referendum?
These are the questions that The Conversation are asking in their new report analysing how divided our country really is right now, in the largest study of attitudes towards diversity in England and Wales. In the extensive survey, 11,000 adults were asked a series of questions concerning ethnic, national and religious diversity in the UK; how they feel about the diversity of Britain and their community more specifically; the diversity of their friends and workplaces; and their feelings surrounding a family member marrying someone from a different ethnic, national or religious background. Results revealed that religious intolerance is the biggest driver of prejudice amongst brits, with religious diversity being the least popular form of diversity. On a positive note, the majority of respondents thought that growing ethnic diversity was a good thing in local communities, however most agreed that its increase is too rapid.
Read their full report... (4 minutes)

FEATURED VIDEO

India’s caste system: What it means to be a Dalit woman?

"Dalit women lie at the bottom of the gradation of both caste and gender"

INSPIRATIONAL PERSON OF THE WEEK

John Oliver

John Oliver, best known for hosting HBO's Last Week Tonight, has become a voice of objectivity in a midst of a split America. In what has been described by TIME as 'The John Oliver Effect', the host's comedic, yet nuanced take on complex socio-political issues has had vast influence on real world events, the New York mayor relaxing bail requirements just one of few ripple effects.

John Oliver was born in Birmingham and began as a stand-up comedian. He rose to fame in the US through his work on The Daily Show before beginning his HBO show in 2014 on which he exercise his full creative license to brazenly call out injustices and equalities of the present day, managing to be simultaneously humorous yet high-impact. For this work, Oliver has won thirteen Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards and was included in the 2015 Time 100.
"John is powerful because he isn’t afraid to tackle important issues thoughtfully, without fear or apology."
Last Week Tonight's season finale last month gave a run down of some of the catastrophic events of 2020. He looks towards next year with a glimmer of hope but warns that what happens next is up to us, "how willing we are to fight, how well we learn from what’s happened, and how much we are able to care about each other". Come what may in 2021, Oliver will continue to deliver his dose of sanity to the absurdities life, policies, legislation and politics bring.
Read more... (5 minutes)