When it comes to minorities’ representativeness, our society is still delayed in so many sectors. However, at least in the entertainment field, 2018 gave us a glimpse of how giving voice to minorities can be empowering. One of those examples was the Black Panther movie, where we could see a full cast of talented black actors on the big screen, including the main role of the hero of the story. The movie was not only cheered by critics and viewers but also inspired many young and black young people all over the globe. In Brazil, the occasion also influenced many black people to organize groups to occupy elite shopping malls to watch the movie as a form of protest.
Entertainment is for sure one important channel through which we can spread messages about the importance of understanding our differences as human beings. And probably no entertainment company is understanding it better than Netflix. The streaming service is supporting dozens of original shows with high-quality production and content that take representativeness under consideration. Many may clearly see in the Netflix original series, the importance that the company is giving to the representation of diversity, let it be in gender, culture, religion or ethnicity. Many shows could be highlighted here, but none of them achieved such a balanced narrative and character building in terms of representativeness as the new version of the animation She-Ra. The characters deconstruct the stereotypes of gender and sexual preferences without even touching this topic directly, all of this in a cartoon designed for kids and adults alike. The personality and visuals of the heroes were created in a way that the viewer can feel connected with them independently of their sexual orientation or gender.
But it is not just in the entertainment world that the time to change has come. It is time to re-create the standardised image of what is beautiful and ‘correct’ in media, entertainment and on every sector of our society. Being exposed to personalities and characters that are diverse in body shape, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender is vital to tackle all sort of preconceptions.
Be an inclusive company
Does your company represents the reality of your region or country? Do your teams represent people from different backgrounds, like nationality, social classes, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender? If not, ask yourself what are the barriers for creating a more diverse environment in your company. Make sure that women and men have the same opportunities and salaries within your team. Diversity in a team improves the range of knowledge and point of views of your business. Besides, having an environment where different kind of people have the chance to work together helps to demystify all sorts of preconceptions.
Be an inclusive brand
Use your brand as a platform to bring awareness towards diversity. When developing your products and services, or even thinking about their communication, try to make sure that your branding, models, videos and other visual productions represent people from different cultures, social classes, ethnicity and gender.
by Mateus Bagatini
New Year’s Eve in Turkey
In Turkey, when the clock strikes 12 midnight, people sprinkle salt on their doorstep to bring peace and abundance to their homes.
Illustration by Ewelina Skowrońska
7 New Year’s resolutions for 2019
Make the best of 2019! Read all our resolutions:
