Inclusive Communications and the Language of Gender: Ep. 28 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

o   How the language of gender is evolving

o   How communicators can be more gender inclusive in our internal and external communications

o   How we can model gender inclusivity in our everyday interactions

In March 2021, we released an episode on the topic of inclusive communications, focusing on practical steps for ensuring that equity, respect and a sense of belonging are  integral to the employee and customer experiences brands create. During that conversation, we briefly touched on how gender and identity were playing out on the larger stage of brand communications.

In this month’s episode, Red Havas’ Lara Graulich (she/her/hers) and Shane Blackburn (he/him/his) are joined by John Kelly (he/him/his), Ari Humirang (she/he/they/them), and Cathy Renna (she/her/hers). Together, they dig deeper into understanding how gender is approached across organizations’ work on internal and external communications. As more people publicly identify outside the “traditional” gender binary of male and female, showing this understanding is now a must for any global organization.

To kick things off, John Kelly, senior director of editorial at Dictionary.com, sets the stage with an update about the ever-evolving language surrounding gender. “Because gender is evolving, it's our responsibility as communicators to learn this new terminology and become fluent in it,” says John. “We need to internalize new best practices, such as using the language that people use to refer to themselves.”

John then walks through the appropriate process of asking about someone else’s gender and being a “linguistic ally.”

“First, take some time to research and learn some of these challenging gender terms and concepts. Then, be sure to conduct the conversation at an appropriate time in a non-public format that doesn’t make a person feel pressured or put on the spot. Begin by sharing a little bit of yourself and taking the lead. That way, you can facilitate a conversation where you include yourself in this as opposed to unintentionally othering a person.”

Finally, John offers reassurance for anyone concerned about making mistakes on their path to becoming more gender inclusive.

“We all make mistakes. It takes time. If the heart of your linguistic allyship is in the right place, and you're being honest in your efforts, you’re well on the road to achieving more gender-inclusive communications.” 

Next up in our discussion are two prominent voices in the LGBTQ+ space: Cathy Renna, communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force and principal of Target Cue, and Ari Humirang, reception and concierge manager at Havas, IPA iList 2022 winner, and the British LGBT Award 2020 winner with Havas Pride.

Of the steps organizations should be taking to establish relationships with the LGBTQ+ community and create communications that are more inclusive to all gender identities, Cathy says, “‘Ally’ is a verb. You have to roll up your sleeves and do the work to get to know folks. Be willing to ask questions, but don't make assumptions. Be curious, but also be respectful and listen. It takes more than waving a rainbow flag; it's about building relationships with community members, organizations and markets.”

Next, our guests provide their thoughts on brands putting action behind their words to promote gender inclusivity.

“Saying you're an ally is one thing, but taking affirmative action is what goes the mile rather than just the inches," says Ari. “If you firmly believe in effecting change and being a voice for those who aren't being represented, just go for it. Don't hold back in fear of people looking down on you or possibly losing customers that don't share your beliefs.”

“It's not about what I am, it's about who I am,” says Cathy. “The LGBTQ+ community is a microcosm of a larger culture, including issues of gender expression and gender identity. But we're very loyal. And we see who's taking meaningful steps to being more inclusive in their campaigns and communications.”

Wrapping up our discussion, Ari shares how personally meaningful it can be for someone to see LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive representation in media.

“There is a sense of empowerment that comes with it,” says Ari. “It can be difficult to grow past the hardships that many people experience just for being different. Seeing progress being made by media and brands that don’t typically enter this space has been impactful in breaking the mold and creating a more inclusive culture.”

Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don’t forget to rate and review to help more people find us!

Also mentioned on this episode:

·      10 Ways To Be More Inclusive In Your Language

·       How To Use Gender-Neutral Language To Promote Inclusivity

·      Demigender, Maverique, And Other Gender Terms You May Not Know

·      Gender and Sexuality Dictionary

·      Gendercool.org

Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: 

·      Twitter

·      Facebook

·      Instagram

·      LinkedIn

Subscribe: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. 

·      iTunes

·      Spotify

What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?

Remember to rate and review today’s show; we’d love to hear from you!