Randi Sherwood’s Post

7.2% of Adults identify as LGBT. In regards to content viewers, ”66% of LGBTQIA+ say that they are more likely to watch a show that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ characters and/or features stories around their culture/community, while one in three 18-34 year-olds also agree that they are more likely to watch a show with LGBTQIA+ characters and stories. 

June has come back around, and brands are *still* rainbow washing 🥱 Here are 5 meaningful things you can do this #PrideMonth, rather than change your logo to a rainbow 👇 1️⃣ Contribute to organizations directly supporting the LGBTQIA+ community (in the form of both time and money) 2️⃣ Ensure your internal policies and practices are inclusive to your existing and future workforce 3️⃣ Run DE&I training for your team to create a more inclusive working environment (hit up Laura Clarke if you want to make this happen!) 4️⃣ Partner on initiatives and campaigns with LGBTQIA+ creators — and please don’t expect them to work for free! (Ash has published some lovely content around this) 5️⃣ Engage with the LGBTQIA+ community to understand their perspectives, challenges and needs Brands often mean well, but meaninglessly posting about Pride Month can often create a false sense of allyship. Rainbows are more than welcomed…as long as the brand puts their money where their mouth is. If you really want to impact the equity, acceptance and inclusivity of the LGBT+ community, please positively commit to to these activities year-round. Ongoing support is much more meaningful, and helps create positive change for future generations! If you *are* going to post about #PrideMonth, ensure LGBTQIA+ voices are involved in the creation and approval of any content or campaigns you have going out. If you can think of anything else you’d like to see, feel free add other ideas in the comments 👇

It’s time to celebrate Pride. 🌈 - It’s time to activate your allyship. > How are you intentionally showing up for your queer-identifying team members? > How are you participating in creating and sustaining an inclusive workplace for all? > Are you truly present for and with the queer community within your organization? • Are you sure? • How do you know? > How are you helping to create safe spaces for queer people? - Now is the time. > Start now. > And continue after June 30. It’s time to celebrate Pride. 🌈 Happy Pride! One 💚

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈 Before you put up that social media post or send that email for your brand or company - think about your intention and know your history. A great first step? Check out this guide, developed by LGBTQIA+ creatives and allies at Copacino Fujikado: https://lnkd.in/dsKHDeSd

February is LGBTQIA+ History Month, which is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, along with related civil rights movements. But, why is the internet important for young people in the LGBTQIA+ community and what can carers do to help them stay safe? 🏳️🌈 A space to explore identity: the internet is a place where everyone can explore content that they identify with or find inspiring 🏳️🌈 A space to feel part of something: people can access LGBTQIA+ forums or groups and conversations 🏳️🌈 A space for help, guidance and education: guidance and help with wellbeing, practical support, and trans-specific care, are more readily available because of the internet 🏳️🌈 A space for change: campaigning can be an empowering and meaningful part of LGBTQIA+ young people’s online lives, which also helps them feel included and listened to Carers are a big part of this journey. They can help by being supportive, positive, discuss expectations and by being open and honest 🙌

Hey! 👋 I’m reaching out to my network to exchange ideas and seek guidance on how we can better advocate for and educate about LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and equity. What steps do you take to ensure diverse voices are not just heard but valued? How do you challenge biases and create a space where everyone can genuinely prosper? Here are a few approaches I’ve found helpful: Inclusive Policies: Support and enforce policies that explicitly protect and recognise LGBTQIA+ rights. Regular Training: Offer continuous EDI training that includes LGBTQIA+ awareness to educate and sensitise our teams. Amplify Voices: Promote the work, stories, and viewpoints of LGBTQIA+ individuals in your networks. I’m keen to learn from your experiences and share insights that can help us build environments where everyone truly feels included. Please share your thoughts, recommendations, or any useful resources in the comments or drop me a DM. Let’s drive change together! #LGBTQIA #EDI #Inclusivity #ProfessionalGrowth #DiversityAndInclusion

Policy development is critical, but testing the implementation of policy for weak spots in the underlying motivation, which necessarily influences policy language, is critical too. A practice I imported from my university teaching into museum/archives administration is to adopt as standard a pursuit of any policy’s awkward consequences. I used this practice when my students developed definitions in my theory-forward courses, but it’s just as valuable in mission/vision/values statements and P&P documents. In the museum/archives arenas, it’s central to acting on decolonization, which is often an actionable form of inclusive practice. If we say we collect the histories of a region’s “many communities,” does that actually bear out in our data? Which communities aren’t present in that—in jazz terms, what are the notes our policies aren’t playing? With those gaps identified, we’ve developed community outreach projects that practically center unincluded populations in all phases of operations (for us this means collection, preservation, interpretation, curriculum integration, but also BOH processes like professional development). It’s a translatable framework for other fields, whether wholesale or via programmatic collaboration. In my field or any other, it’s so critical to integrate EDI / DEIB / JEDI work in an organization’s core operations, rather than viewing it as a module or add-on.

Just a few more days left to apply to Print Magazine Awards 🏆 Looking forward to start reviewing the Citizen Design category, which will consider print and online campaigns designed to address and protect the lives and rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Apply here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eKtx2mc9 #PrintMagazineAwards #CitizenDesign #DesignForChange #LGBTQIA #PrintAndDigital #SocialImpactDesign #EqualityInDesign #ApplyNow

🔍 Intersectionality Matters: Exploring the Overlapping Identities of LGBTQIA+ Professionals 🌈 Today, two of our colleagues are leading a crucial Chat & Learn session with PowerToFly on this vital topic. Let's engage, learn, and grow together! #DiversityAndInclusion #Intersectionality #LGBTQIA+ #ProfessionalGrowth

Here’s why: Your authenticity inspires trust and connects hearts ❤️🌈. Works every time. Being a leader means standing tall 🌳 for your community, especially in advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights. It's about making sure everyone feels like they belong, have equal access and where they can stand tall too 🤗. Let's create spaces where voices are really heard and diversity is truly celebrated! 🎉 Be the safe space you want to see 🏳️🌈✨. #LeadershipMatters #InclusivityWins #LGBTQIAAdvocacy "Safe spaces can no longer be bound and limited to physical locations, but they must be found and created in each of us, allowing us to transcend the limitations of walls, rooms, and buildings"