“Kicking Us While We’re Down”: LGBTQIA+ Staff React To ABC Dropping Diversity Programs

Several current employees at the ABC who identify as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community have spoken anonymously to Star Observer about the broadcaster’s decision to end partnerships with ACON’s Pride in Diversity Program, with one employee describing it as a “kick in the teeth”.

“It makes me feel really undervalued as an ABC employee,” they told Star Observer. “It seems odd they would promote they are supportive of people who are queer to work here by asking if they are part of the LGBTQIA+ community when hired, when they are dropping sponsorships for the groups we could go to for support.”

Many of the respondents also criticised the ABC’s lack of communication with staff about the issue, finding out from external media. “The lack of communication with staff about it also feels insulting and cowardly,” said one.

The employees believe that the move goes against the broadcaster’s stated commitment to providing a safe and inclusive workplace for LGBTQIA+ workers.

Right wing criticism

First reported by The Guardian Australia, an internal announcement has confirmed the ABC will end memberships with ACON’s Pride in Diversity program, the Australian Disability Network and the Diversity Council of Australia following a review of external partnerships. The broadcaster said the arrangements were “no longer providing sufficient value”

Each of these partnerships were created to help the organisation create an inclusive workplace for marginalised employees.

The move comes after particular criticism and scrutiny of the ABC’s membership to ACON’s Pride in Diversity program,  by right wing media, anti LGBTQ advocacy groups, and grilling in senate estimates by conservative politicians. ACON’s Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), which ranked and awarded the ABC based on its inclusion and diversity scores, has garnered particular attention, with Media Watch host Paul Barry devoting an episode to the ABC’s relationship with ACON, arguing it “raises questions about ABC impartiality”.

An ACON spokesperson told Star Observer that the Pride in Diversity program works with employers to build more inclusive workplaces for all Australians. 

“Pride in Diversity responds to consistent data that LGBTQ+ people have poorer experiences in Australian workplaces than other employees. Recent employee survey data reveals a downward trend in LGBTQ+ people being themselves in the workplace with less than half (39%) of LGBTQ+ respondents out about their sexuality and only a third (34%) open about their diverse gender to everyone. Pride in Diversity is focused on what organisations can do as employers to create positive, safe and supportive workplaces for their staff.”

The ABC has said that they will be “redirecting” this funding to internal initiatives, but did not respond to the Star Observer‘s questions about what that will specifically look like, saying “We will always invest in these fundamental principles. The ABC remains committed to diversity and inclusion and will redirect funding to internal initiatives.”

“A bit of backbone”

One anonymous employee said that this decision is a “classic” example of the ABC panicking and reacting in order to make criticism go away, also referencing the highly public decision to unlawfully sack Antoinette Lattouf after criticism from pro-Israel lobbyists.

“There was absolutely no purpose in management reacting to what The Australian thinks about The ABC, because there’s nothing good faith coming from any of those publications – and if we should have more of a backbone about who we are and how we’re going to support staff.”

They also point out that it’s important to separate the notion of editorial independence from methods of supporting staff, and that the move sets a bad precedent for other employee wellbeing programs, such as those catering to First Nations and Indigenous employees, which could also face conservative scrutiny. 

“Being part of these People and Culture based programs is just good HR practise – they have nothing to do with our editorial output.”

“It seems very cowardly to me,” added a former employee of the ABC. “To remove their ties to good, ethical orgs like ACON for fear of it showing a bias just smells so off to me.”

“A disinterest in queer stories”

Some queer ABC employees believe the decision to divest from ACON is in line with an internal bias against LGBTQIA+ stories in general.

“Inside the ABC there is a continued disinterest in queer stories despite management hyping it up as a safe space and a place that wants to amplify LGBTQ+ voices,” one current employee in the news room told Star Observer.

“Stories about queer life, struggle, history, etc are downplayed and often quickly removed from the homepage – usually because the same people flagged for being homophobic to their colleagues also decide what makes it to the front page of the ABC.”

Several respondents echoed this experience, saying it’s hard to get “queer stories” across the line.

“While the news was always about balance there seemed to be a hesitation about queer content,” one recent former employee said. “No-one seemed against it, but no-one ever really seemed willing to jump at it unless it was strong national headline news. Local stories often felt like they had to be straight stories.”

A news employee says that this move is “just par for the course” and “feels like one more kick when we’re down.”

“The ABC is supposed to be one of the better media organisations when it comes to uplifting queer voices but this just goes to show it really is just as bad as every other media outlet.”