The advertising industry has the unique ability, and responsibility, to promote tolerance through its work. But the sector has to start by looking inwardly, before it can enact meaningful change in wider society. Earlier this year, a survey by Infosum found that 69 percent of LGBTQ+ people in advertising have faced discrimination in the workplace – and while progress has been made in fostering acceptance within the industry, there is clearly still work to be done.
VideoWeek asked seven advocates from across the UK advertising sector about the prevalence of discrimination, and the changes needed to create a more welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community.
To what extent does homophobia and transphobia persist in the advertising industry?
Rich Miles (he/him), CEO, The Diversity Standards Collective
Homophobia and transphobia does still sit within our industry. It may not be as loud and in your face as it once was, but there seems to be this undercurrent that shows itself in a more silent way – through ignorance, avoidance and forgetfulness.
Don’t get me wrong, the industry has moved forward massively over the years; more representation in ads and more LGBTQIA+ people are feeling comfortable living as their authentic selves. But the support and action seem to only appear when it’s ‘trendy’ and leave when people get tired, forget and move on.
To remove the homophobia, the transphobia and create sustained acceptance, we need to see more long-term education, understanding and action from everyone.
Tamara Littleton (she/her), CEO, The Social Element
Homophobia and transphobia persist in the advertising industry because they persist in our society. We aren’t operating in a vacuum so what happens out there happens in here. Over the years we’ve heard allegations of brands saying, ‘we don’t do gay’ and media owners profiting from anti-LGBTQIA+ content, with little to no action being done to rectify the problem.
Of course, this is not to say that the industry is inherently homophobic because that couldn’t be further from the truth. You only have to look at some amazing work being created like EE’s Hope United and Ford’s ‘Very Gay Raptor’, and incredible LGBTQIA+ organisations like Outvertising championing representation and inclusion to know that the community is embedded throughout agencies and the work.
As an LGBTQIA+ leader myself, I have tried to create a business that encourages people to bring their true selves to work – whatever that looks like! But we all have a long way to go, and we are at risk of regressing as hate crimes and brand U-turns reach a tipping point. We must stand a lot firmer if we’re going to create a safer space for LGBTQIA+ people, no matter the industry.
I recently carried out a focus group for the Advertising Association investigating the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people in the ad and media industry. I spoke with people from a range of specialisms, ages, gender identities and ethnicities.
Older participants told me that they are much less likely to experience explicit homophobia than they used to be. Insulting homophonic remarks said aloud were commonplace in our industry just a few decades ago. There is much more queer acceptance than there used to be.
It is essential, however, to not fall into a trap of complacency by believing that anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice is a thing of the past, as this is far from the truth. LGBTQ+ people with other intersectional characteristics told me that they have often felt excluded, and there is a long way to go before non-binary and trans talent feel truly welcomed by our industry.
The All In census confirms that our community is much likelier to suffer from mental health struggles, and are likely to be considering leaving our industry. While we have no doubt seen progress, there is a long way to go.
Marty Davies (she/they), Co-CEO, Outvertising
I’ll speak to transphobia specifically; when I invite people to our Trans+ Adland community, I need to ask for their name/pronouns all over again – because it’s usually different to those on LinkedIn. NABS’ All Ears research revealed that less than 50 percent of LGBTQ+ people feel able to be themselves in our industry. This will be undoubtedly worse for Trans+ people.
So, is there transphobia? Yes. Purposeful misgendering and transphobic comments happen, but a better question to ask is what is it about our culture that makes Trans+/LGBTQIA+ people more broadly feel they can’t be themselves at work?
It’s because your agency environment is not outright Trans+ inclusive. We need to do more than pronouns on your email signature. Improve policies and wellbeing now. Healthcare should cover gender affirming care. With zero-tolerance to deadnaming, outing and deliberate misgendering. And please – at least – invest in counselling for Trans+ employees.
Asad Dhunna (he/him), Chief Executive, The Unmistakables
There are pockets of work that are more progressive, with more portrayals of LGBTQIA+ people in advertising over the last five years and data showing that LGBTQIA+ themed ads outperforming generic ads in driving brand recall. Gone are my early days in the industry when I had a client suggest that ‘gay people don’t shop here’, which in 2012 was apparently an acceptable thing to say when considering inclusion.
Since we’ve been supporting brands and agencies to reach the full spectrum of the community, we’ve seen more courageous attempts and conversations that push and challenge stereotypes, however these still feel limited to Pride season or LGBT History Month. Positive and progressive portrayals all year round are still a while away, where it feels totally accepted and without question to showcase the LGBTQIA+ community seamlessly in an everyday campaign.
When it comes to transphobia specifically, the advertising industry certainly needs to do more. There is great work coming from places like Outvertising, and it will be incumbent on everyone in the industry to truly understand the hate that is being whipped up against the most vulnerable part of the LGBTQIA+ community today.
We need to see more people stand up as allies in combating that in every aspect of the work – from challenging stereotypes through insight to standing by trans and non-binary folks in the creative and societal response.
Stephanie Matthews (she/her), Inclusion Partner, Creative Equals
As homophobia and transphobia are prevalent in UK society today, it’s also woven into adland. You can see this play out through the toxic backlash brands receive when they have actively represented queer communities in their ad campaigns, and the resulting corporate response. Often one of three: remove it, and pretend it never happened, an agonising wait to just sit on the fence, or a swift ‘we stand by you’.
What concerns me about the first two responses is the impact of these public actions on the queer employees in that brand, or the queer talent working at their agencies. If you feel you don’t belong, you don’t want that validated when you head into the office. For me, a brand that doesn’t stand by queer communities amidst the backlash sends a clear signal to queer employees and agency partners, that they are not respected and valued. Queer talent will ultimately vote with their feet.
Ben Cicchetti (he/him), VP, Corporate Marketing, InfoSum
The strides made in LGBTQ+ representation within advertising are noteworthy, yet challenges persist. Instances of both overt and subtle workplace homophobia, biphobia and transphobia endure. The perceived controversy surrounding support for the community, exemplified in 2023, underscores the need for continuous efforts.
It’s a tale of two cities. After what felt like a subdued Pride 2023 for some brands, internally, organisations must first get their house in order and foster inclusive workplaces with strong representation and support for LGBTQ+ employees. Externally, brands can then authentically stand with the LGBTQ+ community, not just through Pride, but all year round.
While it was the mishandling of LGBTQ+ inclusive campaigns that dominated the headlines in 2023, there are positive examples of brands getting it right. The industry must learn from its mistakes in 2024, crafting authentic campaigns they are proud to stand by, not backing down in the face of any potential backlash.
