We spoke to six LGBTQ+ leaders about the challenges they have faced at work, how they deal with 'micro'-aggressions, and what true allyship means to them.
Although much progress has been made for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights around the world, it still takes a lot of courage for women to be open about their sexual identity and the truth of its complexity - especially in the workplace. Many still face, and fear, discrimination for simply being a woman. It’s one of the reasons around 73 percent of LGBTQ+ women are not fully ‘out’ to colleagues in the UK.
This lack of representation only worsens when it comes to queer women of colour, and those in leadership positions.
According to a recent study by BWIL (Black Women in Leadership Network), 68% of black women reported experiencing racial bias at work. This figure rose to 84% of Black women in senior management positions.
We spoke to six LGBTQ+ leaders about their experiences of being queer women of colour in the workplace; the challenges they've faced, the common 'micro'-aggressions they've encountered, and the examples of meaningful allyship they would like to see more of.
We're so grateful to these individuals for sharing their personal anecdotes, experiences and stories. We believe in the power of story-telling and role-modelling to engage communities, encourage action and drive change. After all, we can't be what we can’t see. Stories can help shift that; bringing people together to learn, celebrate and empower each other to become better allies in and out of the workplace.
Our contributors:
Char Bailey (she/her)
Tash Thomas (she/her)
Eva Echo (she/they)
Coco (they/she)
Yassine Senghor (she/her)
Alex D'Sa (she/her)
Please note that our non-binary contributors have each agreed to be included in this content. We believe that part of exploring womanhood is about expanding our understanding of what it means to be a 'queer woman' and including the perspectives of non-binary individuals. We encourage you to check-out our article 'Being both Non-Binary and a Black Woman.'
With special thanks to Liberty London, for being our location partner for this film.
Other credits include:
Filming and edit: producedby.kiran
Music by @divincent_ @anaalogue @lukrembo
WE CREATE SPACE have developed a tailored set of programmes dedicated to helping organisations become more inclusive for all their employees. To learn more, check out our corporate DEI solutions or contact us through email: hello@wecreatespace.co