March 07, 2022
IWD2022 #BreakTheBias
“Imagine a gender equal world.
A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Together we can forge women's equality.
Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.”
Source: internationalwomensday.com
Bias is something that we all deal with every day. From being assumed that we’re the assistant on a shoot we’re in charge of, to being told we look tired or ill because we haven’t put makeup on, to being constantly reminded that our body clock is ticking, to being judged for having hairy legs, and everything in between.
And it’s not just a gendered bias. To truly understand the issue, one must recognise intersectionality;
“Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression and we must consider everything and anything that can marginalise people – gender, race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc. First coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw back in 1989, intersectionality was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2015 with its importance increasingly being recognised in the world of women’s rights.”
This International Women’s Day, we’re coming together to call out the biases we see and experience and, by doing so, can start to break the cycle. Here, a few members of our incredible team share how they’re breaking the bias:
“I try to break the bias by always speaking up for myself and expressing my opinions, even when there may be a bias against me.”
Hannah, Social Media Executive
“Every day we need to challenge the unconscious and ingrained bias we have against women even as women. All too often we brush comments off as being silly, funny or just life, but nothing will change until we call it out as we see it in a constructive way. This goes for all genders, don't miss an opportunity to educate someone and move our world a little bit closer to a place where we finally can #BreakTheBias.”
Lizzie, Creative Content Manager
“As someone who regularly recruits, I will make sure I push for a range of CV's and hire in a diverse pool of people.”
Clare, Marketing Director
“As a skincare brand, it is our responsibility to represent and champion all women, all people, all ages, all skin types, all body types. For too long the beauty industry has celebrated one ideal body type and has promoted a message of shame, in the pursuit for perfection. That needs to stop. One of the ways we’re trying to break this bias is by always having a diverse representation of women across all of our content and practicing #NoFilterSkincare - all of our photography is 100% un-retouched. There’s nothing wrong with pimples or wrinkles!
Another thing we’re proud of is our “REAL LOOKS LIKE THIS” series on Instagram, where we share and celebrate amazing body and skin positive heroes. By promoting an inclusive representation of skin and bodies, we can #breakthebias of a single-minded, unrealistic, unattainable standard of beauty women are held to every day.”
Aimie, Head of Brand
Join the conversation over on Instagram and share your story. How will you #breakthebias?