Campaign reported on PrideAM, a leadership group for LGBT people in adland. According to an MAA survey, just one-third of its advertising agencies are aware of LGBT staff. Um, does anyone need a poll to reveal the figure is likely significantly lower for shops being aware of non-White staffers? PrideAM President Scott Knox said, “PrideAM aims to ensure that anyone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in our industry is supported and represented at the highest level. No-one should feel they need to hide who they are at work, and particularly not when they work in an industry as vibrant and progressive as advertising.” Um, the industry has been hiding its true identity—which is thoroughly non-vibrant and unprogressive—since forever. PrideAM Co-Founder Jan Gooding added, “If people in marketing are going to be equipped to help change the attitudes and behaviour of society with regard to LGBT consumers, then they need to get their own house in order.” Okay, but given that the leadership at PrideAM appears to reflect adland’s White exclusivity, perhaps the organization should get its own house in order too.
Just keep waiting. Once the (white) women and the (white) LGBT and (white) older people and (white) handicapped communities in advertising get their share of diversity, then it’ll surely be time for people of color.
ReplyDeleteIf the conversation is finally starting to shift from the 3% conference and white women to Number 2 in the list of priorities, LGBT, ethnic minorities can only be, what, 15 or 20 years away?
I guess I’ve been working at good agencies. There’s never been any shortage of out and proud gay employees in the creative departments.
ReplyDeleteBut I can definitely count more office plants through the years that minorities in the same offices.
GLBT topics of discussion have been welcomed, promoted and nurtured, as they should be.
But racism as a topic of discussion get instantly shot down and everyone gets angry and defensive.
Here’s where it gets sticky for me. If adult GLBT in America only make up like 3 or 5% of the population, and I’ve seen radically, massively more of them in ad agencies (always white tho) than blacks or latins or asians, does that mean people of color in creative positions in agencies are maybe 1% at very best?
That’s cold.