Getty Images + GLAAD: A Partnership Designed for PRIDE

The partnership between Getty Images, the visual media company, and GLAAD, the media advocacy organisation, to bring a better representation of the LGBTQ+ community on media is beginning to make a positive change in the advertising world. ‘The Visual GPS Survey’ and ‘The Visibility Project’, of Getty Images’ and GLAAD, respectively, has paved way for their new partnership.

How the LGBTQ and other stigmatised communities are represented in the media has been under criticism for a long time. It has however brought in a positive change by making media persons more responsible and sensitive towards their representation. While the entertainment media have already taken steps in this regard GLAAD and Getty Images believe that it is high time that advertising media have also taken positive steps in this regard.

According to Tristen Norman, director of Getty Images’ Creative Insights team, the partnership has strengthened the company’s policies. Getty Images has always tried to represent the underrepresented and misrepresented population. Its long-standing commitment to this regard has made it very influential. Getty Images have always strived to be inclusive and made sure that they are heard.

Being highly sensitive to their emotions is very important to make any responsible move in this matter. It could easily be misunderstood or criticised wrong grounds. Norman also emphasises that while everyone in the advertising media agrees to the fact they need to be more inclusive, they are unsure of taking the right steps.

Any step taken in this regard is precarious for the brands as to how the larger community would receive the ads have always been a matter of concern and most of them are worried about the aftereffect of such steps.

Nick Adams, the director, transgender representation at GLAAD, says that it is highly important that the diversity within the trans-community be represented in the visual media as they have always been inadequately represented in all the media forms. He also emphasises that the partnership of two companies which understand the complication involved in representing LGBTQ+ community will only aid their upliftment.

The research done by Getty Images and their partnership with GLAAD will enhance the opportunities of the other brands in contributing to better representation of the marginalised communities as the research provides them with more credible and sensible visuals to depend on. The LGBTQ+ Guidebook for Inclusive Visual Storytelling that helps the marketers to bring in varied forms of representation is a productive takeaway from this partnership.