LGBTQ+: Do Our Letters Spell Out a Shared Language in Adland?

Editor’s note: This piece is part of a series with Graham Nolan on the ways marketers can commit to LGBTQ+ allyship and rethink visibility, support and inclusion in the workplace. I’ve been a member of many an agency ERG for DEI progress. Often when planning our programming, we’d ask, “Is this session, workshop, forum for all of us—LGBTQ+ and allies alike—or LGBTQ+ only?” The idea is, if we’re tailoring content, we need to define an audience to create the right experience. I eventually noticed we had a lot of discussions about the differences between the LGBTQ+ “us” and the non-LGBTQ+ “them”—but never any conversations about the important differences between "us." Let’s be honest: A trans woman, a bisexual person and a gay man all bring different perspectives to the table, yet there’s not much level-setting on how anyone's specific identity or orientation can be an advantage in our collaborative work. Of course, we shouldn’t be mandated to make a case for our identities—but what power, what connections get unlocked when we can? The LGBTQ+ Opportunities Almost No Brand Has Touched Absent a crisis, individual identities don’t get brought to the forefront. That’s a problem. I speak regularly for an LGBTQ+ organization that welcomes the asexual community. And I’ll admit, I recently read a comic book to help ensure I understood the basics of the community. What if ace people were invited to share how their perspective uniquely reflects on brand opportunities? Where are our brave spaces in adland to acknowledge the varied, powerful, magical, human differences between L, G, B, T, Q and plus—so we can make more connections between them? If we can form the language acknowledging our differences—expressing that there’s an "us" but that none of us is the same—our impact in our brand and creative endeavors will be that much greater. But acknowledging differences isn’t without complications. To explore the creative potential here, there are questions to ask so that less gets lost in translation between intent and impact. When do I mean the acronym, and when do I mean the letter? A common critique in a different community is that people may use the term BIPOC when they are obviously, actually talking about Black people. The umbrella term BIPOC, used to promote inclusion of the broader community, is powerful. But when you need to speak to challenges for Black communities, referring to all BIPOC people can obscure your meaning. I’ve known many people to say gay when they meant LGBTQ+, or to say LGBTQ+ when they meant Q. Postmates just did this essentially: They made a respectful campaign, which seemed to be created with queer talent, and they beautifully animated content with educational information. Nothing wrong there. But then they released it during a month that implies LGBTQ+ unity, and therein lies the problem. This is not a campaign for LGBTQ+. This is a campaign for people who practice a specific sex act. The Venn Diagram between those two groups is not insignificant but not overwhelming. And with expanding inclusion of I, A, 2S and beyond, being deliberate is that much more important. Use LGBTQ+ moments when you mean LGBTQ+. Gymshark Celebrates LGBTQ+ Communities With a Campaign Focused on Their Stories When is the right time to discuss the differences between the letters? The Postmates work shows that a very good "when" is: writing the brief. Really identifying an audience means you discuss the differences between letters that will open creative and connective opportunities. A not great "when" is: only after tragedy befalls the LGBTQ+ community. Or, only during Pride. We are LGBTQ+ 12 months of the year. That means you have the chance to discuss opportunities now, tomorrow, yesterday. I’m not privy to the Postmates brief, but understanding that the work authentically spoke to a significant-yet-specific subset of the community, timing could have been adjusted so the work landed outside our most all-inclusive season. Maybe a specific community called for a more specific moment. And perhaps, fueled by data, there could have been more internal and even external communication of the true target for the content. And after all, isn’t ours a business of data? Aren’t we all “cultural anthropologists?” I am eager to team with ERGs, HR professionals, psychologists, sociologists, talk show hosts, anyone who wants to help develop a toolkit for brief development and inclusion conversations, and how to do them right, today. If I can have a new opportunity to share what brand-related power my perspective brings, you can access me today, on my terms, instead of tokenizing me when disaster strikes. Seriously, in a divisive world, should we be highlighting our differences? I get it. We need all the solidarity we can get as an LGBTQ+ whole when so much of the world challenges our collective alphabet. But if a trans person is empowered to teach me their unique experience, if a bi person gets a stage to share why gay ads don’t land with her, if I can share some new, distinct insight as a gay man—aren’t these the stories that power connection and innovation? Similarities lie in those differences! One of many reasons Cann worked is because the link is music, leaning into the insight that brought the full spectrum together and allowing for the full community to be seen. Music videos specifically were early content where we subtly saw ourselves and heard our language in pop culture. They’re a vehicle that allowed different types of stories, and Cann winked at a lot of different letters with the same eye in this inclusive piece. It had a few references I didn’t understand, but good—they’re all not for me. (Note: Buffy was there for me.) But wow: A party where everyone’s part of the rainbow is adding to the larger rainbow. Agencies and brands can support that, for their own people. We can take a moment to appreciate what each stripe of the flag brings before we step back and breathe in its combined beauty and power. The forest and the trees. Nuances cannot be ignored. They should be celebrated. We are all nuanced in our own right, and that in turn ties us all together. This Cosmic PSA Wants to Inform LGBTQ+ Students of Their Rights