Being LGBTQ+ in the Digital Media Industry

Happy Pride Month, 2023!

As the years pass and society evolves, many industries and communities are becoming more welcoming towards people of a variety of identities. Digital media industries, a unique intersection between art and technology, are no exception to this growing trend. However, change does not happen overnight, and LGBTQ+ members in digital media/ adjacent industries still at times feel their identity makes their experiences more different than their colleagues.

We at RenderQ released a form hoping to hear about LGBTQ+ identifying people’s experiences in their career. Below is a collection of perspectives from a range of people from students to professionals, SCAD affiliated and not, and a variety of identities, who are studying/ working in a digital media related field. We asked, Do you feel your gender identity and/or sexual orientation has impacted your career, art, or experience in your industry/ community? Why or why not?

“I moved halfway across the country to escape a very religious and socially conservative community that I fear would have punished me for openly being myself, regardless of what career I pursued. But since moving, I have not faced any perceived impact to my career based on my sexual orientation. While I am out and open about my sexuality, being white, cis-gender, and traditionally masculine, most people do not realize I am gay until I bring it up. I try to be mindful of how my “straight-passing” privilege helps me avoid discrimination in the industry, so that I can be a better ally for my queer peers”

-Stephen Garver | Gay Male | Animation Industry | 3-10 Years Post-grad

“With my gender, yes. Women are often taught to express their emotions more than men, so it makes it easier for me to put those powerful feelings I feel into a tangible form, such as art. However, I do not think this skill should be only unique to the female experience. With gender fluidity and the breaking of gender roles, that could mean a lot more freedom of expression and a lot more meaningful art. With my sexuality, no. Thankfully, I do not have any negative career experiences due to my sexuality. I think that is because the artistic community is very accepting of every person, and we all bond over our passion for beauty and wonder. However, I have definitely faced micro aggressions and denial from the people around me, which has influenced some of the work I have made”

-Michaela Bidon | Bisexual, Cisgendered Woman | Film Editing/ Content Direction | Undergraduate Student 

“So far, my identity has had a minimal impact on my career, (but that isn’t saying much because I’m still an undergraduate). It has its downsides, but I have also had some unique and positive experiences because of it. My art hasn’t been impacted, as I’m most interested in environments. There are plenty of artists who create wonderful work that is relevant to the queer community, but I’ve never felt the need to do that. In a similar vein, I generally don’t offer information about my identity (aside from my name and pronouns) to people unless directly asked, and I suspect that these decisions have allowed me to avoid the ire of those who are less understanding. It’s a trade off that definitely isn’t for everyone, and it’s sad that it can even be called that. I am visibly transgender and still in the process of transitioning, so some assumptions will inevitably be made about my values, skills, and personality. Right now, my priority is just getting my foot in the door”

-Anonymous | Transgender | Game Development Industry | Undergraduate Student

“Yes – it has determined which state(s) I can work in, was a barrier in getting promotions in my first job, and has lead to tension with other employees who I had previously overheard saying hateful things about the queer community “

-Anonymous | Gay Male | Animation Industry | 10+ Years Post-grad

“In the advertising industry, women and LGBTQ+ folks are often ‘looked down’ on and seen as inferior. I, unfortunately, dealt with that at my last agency. I tried to advocate for equal rights but ultimately had to move to a new agency to get the respect, recognition, and opportunities I deserved. Now I work with great people who put the needs of everyone first. In my two years at this agency, I’ve worked to make our ads more inclusive, implemented agency-wide pronoun training, and established safe space sessions for LGBTQ+ employees and allies to express their concerns. I’m also one of the North American LGBTQ+ leaders for our Pride employee resource group”

-Stephanie Murray | Cis Pansexual Woman | Advertising Industry | 3-10 Years Post-grad

“Sometimes it is hard to express myself in my industry without feeling like I am compromising my integrity”

-Anonymous | Cis Gay Male | Tech | Undergraduate Student

“Yes- I could never fit into the ‘boys club’ of animation leadership and my constant ask of including queer characters frustrated people”

-Anonymous | Gay Cis Male | Animation Industry | 3-10 Years Post-grad

“Absolutely, all of the stories I create are queer, everything has some queerness in some way… it feels essential. I create things that make me happy and queer stories do that. Though in places away from the internet / art school, I feel more afraid to share that art/ those stories”

-Anonymous | Genderqueer + Bisexual | Animation Industry | Undergraduate Student

As a queer woman myself, I understand and even relate to many of the experiences above, though I do have the privilege of being straight-passing when in unaccepting environments. As an undergrad in the VFX industry, I’ve found it to be fairly accepting, just not necessarily diverse, especially when it comes to gender. Like many other feminine people in a male-dominated field, I’ve at times felt discouraged and disconnected from the community, even though it is something I am passionate about. I am thankful to say I have never faced any outright negativity due to my sexuality, but do feel underrepresented.

Many thanks to those who shared their experiences. Sharing and listening to others’ experiences is one of the first steps to making progress towards a more accepting and welcoming environment for people of all identities. If you are interested in sharing and having your response added to this article, the form will be open all summer at the following link: https://forms.gle/zmscGrENXrwhR4CJ6 !