February is LGBTQI History Month in the UK, a month dedicated to celebrating the rich diversity of the LGBTQI community while spreading awareness, educating and eroding prejudice surrounding the community.
This year’s theme is ‘Body Mind, Spirit’. One of the faces of the 2021 LGBTQI History Month is Maya Angelou an African American writer and poet who throughout her life was an ally to the LGBTQI cause. She also represents the LGBTQI’s allyship with Black Lives Matter.
BAME representation in the LGBTQI community is very important because BAME LGBTQI people face double the discrimination of racism and homophobia. According to a Stonewall survey, 51% report facing racism even within the LGBTQI community. Many feel invisible and unaccounted for. South Asian LGBTQI people are amongst those that feel under-represented.
It is vital to celebrate LGBTQI people of all backgrounds, so we want to highlight key South Asian LGBTQI figures who have taken great strides for the community in multicultural Britain.
Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the 70s British rock band Queen, is one of the world’s most celebrated gay icons of all time! He was of Indian Parsee descent. He moved to Britain as a teenager, where he found great success and fame.
Image Source: Planet Radio
Vikram Seth, the talented UK based novelist and poet of West Bengal heritage is openly bisexual and has spoken out against the injustice faced by the LGBTQI community in his interviews and writing. His novel, A Suitable Boy was adapted into a BBC series last year.
Image Source: The Times of India
Pablo Sat-Bhambra makes up half of the popular BBC Radio duo Raj and Pablo and was the first gay Asian man to be featured in a Stonewall campaign.
Image Source: Challenge Radio
Tan France, born Tanveer Wasim Safdar is a British fashion designer and style guru of Pakistani descent. He is the star of the popular reality show Queer Eye.
Image source: Instagram via Tan France
Jameela Jamil is a British actress, radio presenter, model and writer of Pakistani and Indian descent who stars in The Good Place. She is also famous for her social activism and for always speaking up about issues that matter.
Image source: Instagram via Jameela Jamil
Lilly Singh is an Indian Canadian YouTube personality, comedian and talk show host who came out as bisexual in 2019. She is an inspiration to young people around the world.
Image source: Instagram via Lilly Singh
Karan Johar, the famous director, producer, screenwriter and talk show host who works in Hindi films is the epitome of a Bollywood icon. He recently came out as gay in 2017.
Image Source: DNA India
Manvendra Singh Gohil
Manvendra Singh Gohil is an Indian prince who is the world’s first openly gay prince!
Image source: Instagram via Manvendra Singh Gohil
Rita Loi is a British Asian writer, musician DJ and the founder of Gayasian.org. She won the LGBT Champion Award at the British Asian Media Awards in 2020.
Image Source: Gay Times
Representation is extremely important, and it is great that the South Asian LGBTQI people have these icons to look up to. However, LGBTQI representation in the media is still not enough, especially when it comes to advertising.
Marketing to the LGBTQI community
Efforts have been made in pop-culture and the media to depict LGBTQI representation, even in South Asian media where Pakistani web series Churails on ZEE5 depicts a lesbian relationship. Advertising on the other hand falls starkly behind. Marketers need to learn to account for and cater to LGBTQI audiences.
More than 6 million people in the UK identify as being LGBTQI and this community has a high spending power of £80 billion annually.
3/5 LGBTQI consumers (making up 2 million of all British consumers) are more likely to purchase from companies that are gay friendly. 50% of UK adults purchase products for ethical reasons and are more likely to purchase from brands that they feel value inclusivity.
Businesses that get their marketing and communication strategy right can win the loyalty of LGBTQI consumers, who spend almost £80 billion annually. LGBTQI representation in campaigns, catering to the preferences of this community and advertising in Pink media are all ways your brand could earn their loyalty.
We at Here and Now 365 are experts at multicultural marketing and excel at marketing to diverse audiences. We can create bespoke solutions to help your brand engage with all communities and minorities in the UK who might be culturally underrepresented.