Kamal Sinclair
Sep 2, 2018 · 2 min read

Thank you so much for your thoughtful inquiry.

One important note is that participation and representation does not mean matching census data in terms of demographic representation. It means insuring that the minority’s voice, culture, value systems, and rights are respected and allowed to exist within the immediate tech and media community, as well as the communities impacted by their work. It means protecting their interests when the power imbalance has proven to create blind spots around minority interests.

However, even if we were going to take the demographics in tech and media and match them up to the census data, you will see that along race and gender data we are not getting anywhere close to the census data, especially in hard tech skills and leadership positions. Especially in the most powerful tech centers like Silicon Valley, which falls far behind the other tech positions nationally.

In terms of LGBTQ demographics, many argue that the LGBTQ community is much higher than 5% nationally, but many queer identities are under-reported due to social stigmas. In fact a survey came out last year that shows 20% of millennials identify on the LGBTQ spectrum. This might be closer to the actual overall demographic for LGBTQ identities in the US, since their generation seems to be more accepting of LGBTQ identities.

To your point, there have been some great victories to celebrate in terms of the acceptance of LGBTQ people in tech: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tech-pride-celebrations-and-challenges-for-lgbt-members_us_59485621e4b0961faacbe61c

However, there are still huge challenges in insuring equity, equality, and inclusion for LGTBQ identified people in a predominantly hetero environment. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/bullying-driving-lgbtq-people-out-tech-study-finds-n752646

Also, research has already debunked the myth that these minority groups are just not interested in pursuing these positions, and it has also debunked the meritocracy and pipeline arguments that there just aren’t enough qualified people in the field to fill the tech and media positions.

https://makinganewreality.org/challenging-the-innovator-stereotype-3e3ef41857c

https://makinganewreality.org/making-a-new-reality-11cdb9951bb6

As a white middle aged man with mental health issues, which is very normal and should not be stigmatized, I believe there are enormous opportunities for you to be part of building the next tech and media landscape in an inclusive way that benefits all of us, not just some of us.

Not only in the role of fulfilling your own yet untapped potentials, but the ways in which your contributions will pollinate with others to imagine the future of culture.

https://makinganewreality.org/democratize-design-86d2385865bd

https://makinganewreality.org/encourage-and-model-allyship-6289b2ab846e

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