Language, and more importantly, understanding language, is crucial for facilitating good communication. This is especially important for producers, cast, and crew working on Film/TV productions. With the rise of LGBTQI+ films and TV shows over the past few years, this is particularly relevant for productions that focus on the often marginalised and misrepresented group of people within this community.
From conversations I’ve personally had with other industry professionals, I’ve found that it is not uncommon for crew members to want to do or say the right thing when working with queer people. However, due to societal norms, structural boundaries (such as their education), or a lack of personal experience working closely with LGBTQI+ people, miscommunication and sometimes hurtful language can arise. As LGBTQI+ people’s lives are portrayed more frequently on screen, there is an increasing need to share knowledge, empathy, and understanding among industry professionals. This is vital for encouraging a healthy, compassionate, and, most importantly, safe environment where everyone can work to the best of their abilities, free from harassment or issues.
As a queer child growing up in South London during the 1990s and 2000s, it was nearly unheard of for me to see characters and stories in films that I could relate to. I’m overjoyed that younger people today will have these stories to connect with. This change is worth celebrating, but it’s also important to understand the historical context of LGBTQI+ representation in the UK. To put this into perspective: I was twelve years old when “Section 28” was finally repealed in 2003.
For clarity, Section 28 was a series of laws in Britain, introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government in 1988, which prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality.” These laws were only repealed in 2003 and forbade teachers from informing children about LGBTQIA+ people and same-sex relationships. This led to widespread discrimination and ignorance. Given this context, I feel empathetic when encountering a lack of knowledge about queer people. It’s important to share basic knowledge about how to work respectfully with LGBTQIA+ individuals on film and TV sets. I do not blame those who were educated during the time of Section 28 for lacking understanding, especially if they were hired to work on productions focused on queer people and have not been personally exposed to LGBTQI+ experiences.
Understanding the LGBTQIA+ Acronym
The LGBTQIA+ acronym includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and more. It’s important to note that while people in each of these groups share experiences of discrimination and marginalisation, each letter represents a different lived experience. These identities can sometimes overlap, but they don’t always represent the same realities. For instance, someone can be a transgender or non-binary person (a term that refers to a gender identity that doesn’t match the assigned sex at birth) while also identifying as a lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Pronouns Matter
Pronouns are important. For everyone. In English, people often refer to others using pronouns when speaking in the third person. Commonly, these pronouns are gendered—such as “he” to refer to a man or “she” to refer to a woman. These assumptions are not always accurate or helpful. People frequently make assumptions about someone’s gender based on their appearance or name. These assumptions may not be correct and making them—even if they turn out to be accurate—can send a harmful message: that people must look a certain way to demonstrate their gender identity.
Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment, just as using a person’s name can be a way to respect them. Just as it can be offensive or harassing to make up a nickname for someone and use it against their will, it can be harmful to guess a person’s pronouns and use them if that’s not how they identify. Worse still, deliberately ignoring the pronouns someone has stated they go by can suggest that intersex, transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people shouldn’t exist or don’t deserve respect.
Supporting Queer People in the Industry
In my work as an Intimacy Coordinator and Wellbeing Facilitator, I’m fortunate to collaborate with compassionate individuals who want to “do and say the right thing” in supporting their queer colleagues. However, I’m writing this at a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are being rolled back worldwide, and many queer people go to work on sets knowing this. It’s an unfortunate reality that we live in a media landscape that perpetuates misinformation and fear about queer people. This is something the industry is beginning to understand—at least based on my personal experiences.
That’s why it’s so crucial for producers, crew, and cast to learn these basics about language and respect toward queer people. It’s not just about doing the right thing; it’s about creating an inclusive and respectful environment for everyone involved in the production process.
Written by 6ft From The Spotlight Wellbeing Facilitator, Alexandra Healy.
