Last year, 56% of the LGBTQ+ population reported discrimination when seeking medical care,1 more than half the country offered no protection for LGBTQ+ people seeking medical care,2 and the majority of trans individuals encountered a significant lack of medical knowledge relevant to their needs.3 When you consider the impact of living with this situation, it’s not hard to see why one LGBTQ+ person attempts suicide every 45 seconds in the U.S.—4x the national average.4
As members of the healthcare advertising world, we may not be able to alter the political landscape but we can better represent the community in a genuine and authentic way. Regardless of age, gender, race, or sexuality, we all want to feel respected and understood. But if you’ve never walked in someone’s shoes, how can you truly understand them?
For example, can you possibly imagine spending your whole life identifying as a male, but having to live your day-to-day life in the body of a female? Then, after years of emotional, physical, and societal turmoil, you finally begin your transition so you can live as your fully authentic self. Yet because you chose to not go through the trauma of having a hysterectomy, you still have to suffer the pain and indignity of regular visits to a gynecologist, being the only male patient in the office. No? Then how could you expect to authentically engage the trans community on this issue?
Go Beyond the Appearance of Diversity
As a gay man, I can no more represent the entire LGBTQ+ community than I could expect my sister to represent all women. Yet we regularly find situations in which a single token representative is placed on accounts, brand teams, or committees where they are expected to provide the voice for that minority. Tokenism is a shortcut that only gives the appearance of diversity, but ends up alienating the audience you hope to reach.
These types of disingenuous campaigns are not only naïve and misguided, but they can also cause damage. The concept of corporate pride triggered an inevitable backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. Too many organizations that fall short on inclusivity make a show of supporting Pride Month by slapping a rainbow on their company Twitter account. This kind of pretense will eventually take a toll on the trust, goodwill, and respect that customers and employees have for those companies.
How do we tackle this issue and start representing the LGBTQ+ community in a way that not only delivers on brand goals but contributes to real and meaningful change? The answer is shockingly simple. Be genuine; be true.
The LGBTQ+ community has long been overlooked and exiled from the mainstream, and those circumstances remain the same in 2023. We pride ourselves on pioneering our space in the underground through our own brand of original culture and creativity. When we learn to embrace those same values in our marketing campaigns, everyone will benefit. The results may very well be lifesaving.
References:
1. “Plan to Eliminate LGBTQ Non-Discrimination Protection.” Human Rights Campaign. Accessed May 17, 2023. Available from: https://bit.ly/3Mzx6oP.
2. “2022 State Equality Index.” Human Rights Campaign. Accessed May 17, 2023. Available from: https://bit.ly/3Ml84ZA.
3. “Fact Sheet: Protecting and Advancing Health Care for Transgender Adult Communities.” Center for American Progress. Accessed May 17, 2023. Available from: https://ampr.gs/3MC7K9O.
4. “Estimate of How Often LGBTQ Youth Attempt Suicide in the U.S. The Trevor Project.” Accessed May 17, 2023. Available from: https://bit.ly/42LQBQN.
