H&M's diversity manager and the #pinkify debate

By Leigh Andrews

22 Jan 2018

Original image © Besjunior – 123RF.com

ICYMI, here’s a brief overview of these top inclusion, equality and diversity topics and why they matter.

H&M appoints diversity manager

pic.twitter.com/3gHiSwwblE

— H&M (@hm) January 16, 2018

Retail Marketing

'I have H&M clothes I'm going to burn'

Kyle Zeeman  10 Jan 2018

Wu will do so while continuing as the company's global manager for employee relations. Here’s hoping it’s not too little too late.

Advertising

H&M 'racist' ad adds to company's woes

15 Jan 2018

Civil rights celebrated on #MLKDay

The week began with the anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s birthday, typically celebrated as a ‘day of service’ on the third Monday of the year in the US – similar to our own #MandelaDay here in SA.

#Repost @aclu_nationwide with @repostapp ・・・ We honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. #MLKDay #persist #womensmarch

A post shared by Rebecca P Cohen (@baby_activist) on Jan 17, 2018 at 9:01pm PST

Despite Trump’s untimely ‘shithole’ comments over the weekend, many posted footage of their own uplifting acts on the day, with others sharing some of his most inspiring words aimed at freedom of speech, uplifting humanity and undoing oppression:

Social Media

World stands up for Haiti, Africa after Trump's "shithole" comment

Andy Walker  15 Jan 2018

Martin Luther King's last speech before he was assassinated on the next day.

Happy Martin Luther King Day! #MLKDay pic.twitter.com/EZtF9CHsFb

— AFRICAN HISTORY (@africanarchives) January 16, 2018

#Repost @ijessewilliams ・・・ or nah? #MLK #MLKDay #MLKDayofService

A post shared by bethshax (@bethshax) on Jan 17, 2018 at 9:37pm PST

A Forbes magazine article called out the ‘pinkifying’ of certain male-dominant sectors to make them more female-friendly.

Building #Gender #Equality From The Inside Out And The Outside In

"it’s not about making the tech industry more appealing to women by pinkifying it, but rather it's about making the sector a fair and safe place for women."#diversity #inclusion @forbeshttps://t.co/BUde0UMkq1 pic.twitter.com/6TBJ4YPZTT

— Theo (@psb_dc) January 17, 2018

Women's Month

#WomensMonth: Flipping the script on 'gender-specific' toys

Leigh Andrews  26 Aug 2016

With the move towards flipping the script on marketing cars for boys and dolls for girls to rather offering gender-neutral toys always a hot topic, most agree with the sentiment above but others say pinkify if you want – you do you.

Pinkify whatever you want, fam. Pinkify everything. If you love pink, don't let anyone shame you. If you don't like pink, make an honest assessment to ensure it's not internalized misogyny (if it's not, that's okay). Dudes gotta deal with women reclaiming CS either way.

— Porg Enthusiast (@CatApocalypse) December 16, 2017

Lastly, we kept a keen ear on ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s #Davos2018 promise that we’re ‘deadly serious about addressing corruption’ in SA, while applauding The World Economic Forum (WEF) 2018’s big step in the right direction for gender equality, when it included seven strong female chairs:

Move over suits! The World Economic Forum 2018 to be chaired by seven women! Make it matter @SharanBurrow , Fabiola Gianotti, Isabelle Kocher, @Lagarde @GinniRometty , Chetna Sinha and @erna_solberg . Looking forward to #WEF2018 @Davos https://t.co/MUKEN6l3AY

— Katja Iversen (@Katja_Iversen) January 11, 2018

Seek and they will speak!