GLAAD Campaign
“Microaggression” is a term used to describe subtle, everyday exchanges of discrimination or bigotry towards marginalized groups of people. Often times, they are unintentional, springing from unconscious biases.
This poster campaign aims to build awareness about microaggressions towards lesbians and queer women in particular. Hypothetically, this campaign would be sponsored by GLAAD, a nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy organization that aims to ensure LGBTQ stories and experiences are heard.
Accolades: Nashville AAF Silver & Judge’s Choice; District 7 AAF Gold; Graphis New Talent Awards Honorable Mention
Apps used: Photoshop, Procreate
The posters aim to show how certain microaggressions can come across (and just how ridiculous they are) by taking the scenario and reversing it towards the majority group. It asks the question: “What if someone treated you the way you treat gay women?” For example, “You’re a lesbian? How do you have sex?” becomes “You’re straight? How do you have sex?”. It might seem like a question asked out simple curiosity, but when directed the other way, it quickly becomes uncomfortable and strange. Especially if it’s asked by a person you’re not that familiar with.
This work is intended to look odd, dirty, objectifying, and/or unsettling. Dadaism is a major stylistic influence for that reason—the strange disjointedness helps to convey the amalgamation of feelings that comes with being targeted by comments like these. It also serves to portray how the aggressor appears to the recipient in this moment: immature, obnoxious, and predatory.
Many queer women experience microaggressions when they shut down advances from the opposite gender. The target audience for this campaign would be primarily single, straight men in their 20’s and 30’s who don’t see anything wrong with continuing to hit on a women, despite knowing she’s a lesbian.
The campaign posters would be put up on the walls of bars, clubs, or other casual public areas that people typically go to meet. They could also potentially be displayed on magazines with a predominantly male audience, such as Men’s Health, Details, or even Playboy or Hustler.
Digital ads would be featured on popular dating apps with young people, like Tinder or Bumble.
Research
To further research this issue, a survey of 22 participants with first-hand experience was conducted. Here are a few major takeaways:
People are comfortable asking really invasive, rude, and questions about lesbian sexuality to complete strangers, even though they would never ask the same of a straight person.
Many view lesbian relationships as “not real”, or think that the relationship must retain heteronormative roles to be valid. In the same vein, lesbian sex isn’t “real sex”, because there’s no penetration involved.
Some men are persistent in the fact that they can “change you” if they try long enough. It can feel as if you’re a prize to be won, rather than a person.
People think there’s a right way to look “lesbian”. If you’re feminine, people may doubt your sexuality. If you’re masculine, men may not respect you as much, and women may be suspicious that you’ll objectify them.
Overall, many remarks lesbians and other WLW often hear are invalidating, objectifying, and even downright fetishistic.