22 Oct 2021

Diversity Lens - Issue 99

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Oct 22

Diversity Lens - Issue 99

Welcome to Diversity Lens.
Diversifying your news consumption.

This week there has been an extremely worrying rise in reports of women being spiked at nightclubs via injections.

It is unclear as of yet how widespread these incidents are, or how much is fear mongering falling on fertile ground. However, regardless of how frequently this is happening, the real issue here is the heightened fear that women are experiencing around their safety.

One response sees a boycott of nightclubs across UK cities next week as students call for tighter safety measures. See a police campaign's response in our story of the week.

STORY OF THE WEEK

"Don’t Be That Guy: activists praise campaign tackling sexual violence "
The Guardian

“Most guys don’t look in the mirror and see a problem. But it’s staring us in the face. Sexual violence begins long before you think it does.”

Have you seen this powerful video produced by Police Scotland yet? Activists are praising the 'Don't be that guy' campaign which will undoubtedly resonate strongly with all genders.

Our society all too often falls into the trap of putting the onus on women and girls to adjust their behaviour in order to avoid violence from men. This video calls out the perpetrators of said violence instead, rather than the victims.

The video makes reference to behaviour that is often deemed insignificant, but can have serious consequences and, left unchecked, lead to more violent acts.

There is also an emphasis in the video on holding men to account who exhibit this kind of behaviour. Not letting troubling remarks go unnoticed might make a huge difference to future incidents.

The campaign was backed by the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who called it “powerful and important”.

This video comes just as police commissioner, Philip Allott, resigned after indicating that women should learn the law in order to protect themselves better.

“At a time when women are being advised by the Met [police] to ‘flag down a bus’ as a response to threats of violence at the hands of its officers, this campaign has a really welcome focus on men’s attitudes and behaviours"

Forward

IN OTHER NEWS...

Kids library books are virtually all-white – survey

A new study into UK school libraries has found that Black and minority ethnic children remain underrepresented in children's literature. 92% of school staff agreed that sufficient diversity and inclusion was not reflected in their books, but felt "powerless" to change this.

Representation is essential "not only for their academic progress, but for their self-esteem, and affirmation of their self-worth.”
Read time: 3 minutes

Inside Bender Defenders, the self-defence class for queer people

This east London class provides a safe space for LGBTQIA+ people to learn to box. Bender Defenders is a movement born out of the rising amount of hate crimes committed against queer people. While they instruct on self-defence primarily, the classes are also designed to be cathartic to attendees who live in a world that is openly hostile to them and their community.
Read time: 6 minutes

"As queer people, we can often become detached from our bodies; they can become prisons," regular Clarisse says. "Boxing can help you appreciate what your body can do for you"

Michaela Coel and Marcus Rashford named among most powerful Black Britons

The annual UK Powerlist has been announced with businesswoman Jacky Wright topping the list. Wright is the corporate vice-president and chief digital officer at Microsoft US and is outspoken about the importance of diversity in tech. Rashford comes in at second place and Michaela Coel features in the top ten. A truly inspiring list of people.
S ee the full list.

THIS WEEK IN D&I...

How organisations can actively celebrate Black History Month

Our tirelessly inspiring Co-Founder Cynthia Davis was featured in the People Management Magazine this week. Cynthia shares her experience of Black History Month and how companies can navigate through the traps and tick-box exercises in order to celebrate it in a meaningful and impactful way. Which organisations have got it really wrong this year?

Read time: 3.5 minutes

"We understand how these 31 days of the year shouldn’t just be part of a tick-box exercise and ensure that brands who host vacancies with us know the same."

The Chappelle controversy is a test of what kind of workplace Netflix wants to be

Netflix have been in the spotlight recently due to their decision to host the Dave Chappelle comedy special, and their reaction to employees discontent. The show has been accused of transphobic jokes, including Chapelle proudly declaring himself “team TERF". At least 1,000 employees are expected to participate in a walkout this week, led by the trans employee resource group, accusing leadership of not keeping to their inclusive values.

Read time: 4 minutes