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Being born in the early 80's, attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people have changed a lot during my life. For me as a kid, one of my family was living with "a friend", and my family were in a good place about this. I worked out they were gay before anyone discussed it with me (kids aren't dumb!). Since then, other members of my family have come out, and my gran marvelously summed up the family's chill with words to the effect of "As long as you're happy, that's what matters." I'm very lucky having a family like this, but in some ways it sheltered me from the struggle many LGBTQ people have just to be accepted. I had teenage friends lie, deny or hide their true selves, dating people they weren't attracted to, or leaving the house wearing trousers only to get changed into a skirt later. I didn't appreciate the daily pressures they had to deal with, even in their own homes from their own families. The language and images which surround us have repercussions we're not conscious of, and for a very long time they've excluded anyone outside of the Masculine Man + Feminine Woman = Happy Couple narrative. Change is happening though, and representation of LGBTQ people is increasingly becoming just another part of the picture, rather than an in your face "look, a lesbian kiss!". So this is where I want to help make inclusivity is the norm. Not because of cynical reasons like the "pink pound" (ugh) but because if I'm creating and selling things, the language and images I use become a part of what surrounds people, and shapes their worldview. After making a lot of jewellery which has been worn at weddings, I took a long look at how I present those items. I made sure my range of pictures are inclusive - Robert and Andy anyone? When people place orders I double check how their gift tags should be written and illustrated. Robert and Andy may not equal Mr & Mr! There are many other details too, which gradually make a big difference. I was elated when I received my Inclusivity Language Review Report from LGBTQ Equality Weddings, and they told me there were no required changes before I joined them "You’re already incredibly inclusive!". This doesn't mean I'm on resting my laurels though.
As a small business, each item I create, photograph and describe, each customer, supplier and stockist I chat with, that's another chance for me to make inclusivity the norm. We can make change now so that in a few generations, the most important thing about someone you've just met will be what bands you're both into, not what sexual partners.
6 Comments
Lisa
6/2/2019 09:41:08 pm
I unintentionally picked yellow and green as my "brand" which mainly seem nicely neutral!
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alison piearcey
2/2/2019 07:22:52 pm
It's a good thing to think! We too are trying, cos gamers are a diverse bunch. If you want to get all business-y, you could point out that inclusivity makes customers happy, and happy customers tell their friends.
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Lisa
6/2/2019 09:43:50 pm
It's true! I'd rather hope that small business owners would want to be inclusive and show inclusivity, because it's just the right thing to do, but ultimately there's a smart business case for it too.
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Kay
25/3/2019 07:52:04 pm
I think that it's great seeing more places represent diverse relationships, because even though I'm not LGBTQ I know that means my kids are growing up to value love for what it is. Shops, adverts, posters, papers, it's all around us and just makes you assume what is "normal" so more power to you for showing what is actually going on in the world.
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Lisa
5/6/2019 08:54:31 am
Thanks Kay! Being what's often called an ally can be important, you don't have to be LGBTQ yourself to appreciate people for who they are, respect their choices, and help make people feel comfortable.
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