Zone’s marketing manager, Ricky Wallace, gives us his personal views on prejudice and equality in the month that shines a light on acceptance and tolerance.
June is Pride month. It is a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA+ communities from across the globe.
As a gay, mixed-race man, this year’s Pride month has taken on an even bigger meaning for me personally as the world unites against racism in the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a US police officer.
Just as the landmark Stonewall riots invigorated the gay rights movement in 1969 and gave rise to Pride, so the protests of the Black Lives Matter movement continue to fight for equality and justice for black communities.
I’ve experienced homophobia and racism both in my personal and professional life. My English mum and Jamaican dad always taught me about self-love and in their eyes, I am “the best of both worlds,” so although these situations are never easy to deal with, I’ve always felt mentally equipped to do so and have had the support to fight these battles.
I fully appreciate that this isn’t the case for everybody. And the point is that nobody should ever have to experience any type of discrimination in the first place.
I don’t believe that racism or homophobia is a shared experience. Of course, entire communities experience it and have to deal with it every day. But all these experiences occur in many different ways and across the different settings and backdrops of an individual’s life. And it’s not a one-sided thing. I’ve suffered racial and homophobic abuse from both white and black people, gay and straight. Everybody’s experience is different and should be treated with the same respect regardless.
In my career, it’s important to me that I can be my authentic self. I smashed my way out of the closet in my early teens so hiding this side of myself in my workplace was never going to be an option for me. And of course, I can’t hide the colour of my skin (and would never want to).
When I joined Zone, the inclusive culture was a selling point. Unlike many companies who see D&I as a tick-box exercise, I got a real sense that they walked the walk. Their relationship with Creative Equals — who champion diversity in the creative industries and continually challenge the status quo — means they are always working to push for fairness and equality. There is no doubt that there is so much more that all businesses can do. Just as it’s crucial to demand the end of the gender pay gap, we must also aim for greater ethnic diversity on the board. As Mark Ritson eloquently puts it, “If ‘Black Lives Matter’ to brands, where are your black board members?”
Most recently, Zone signed an open letter in Campaign pledging solidarity to address inequality and take action against racism within the creative industry. And it’s these small steps that makes me, as an employee, feel respected, safe and valued.
For me, Pride is about unity. Whether you are gay, straight or bi, black, white or brown — or anything in between — it’s about coming together in friendship, love and respect.
The reality is that inequality and injustice are sadly prevalent in all corners of the world. But we can all try and make the world a better place to live in through increased education and tolerance. Talk to your peers and get an understanding of all their personal struggles. There is never a place for homophobia or racism.
Join the fight:
Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/
Stonewall: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/
