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Reading: Victorian Government Tackles Discrimination Against Trans & Gender Diverse People Via Think HQ
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B&T > Campaigns > Victorian Government Tackles Discrimination Against Trans & Gender Diverse People Via Think HQ
Campaigns

Victorian Government Tackles Discrimination Against Trans & Gender Diverse People Via Think HQ

Staff Writers
Published on: 27th June 2024 at 10:14 AM
Edited by Staff Writers
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Silent gestures speak louder than words in a ground-breaking campaign for the Victorian Government by positive change agency Think HQ that shines a light on the discrimination trans and gender-diverse people face every day. 

The ‘The Unsaid Says a Lot’ campaign—the first Government-led campaign of its kind in Australia—highlights the often overlooked nonverbal cues and micro-aggressions that contribute to a culture of discrimination and exclusion and urges people to become allies in driving systemic change.

After being appointed by the Victorian Government for its deep expertise in the LGBTIQA+ space, sensitive issues, and community engagement, Think HQ took a co-design approach to campaign ideation.

The agency worked with representatives from Victorian’s trans and gender diverse community, including prominent transgender director, actor, writer and producer Harvey Zielinski, whose lived experience and creative input helped authentically bring the work to life.

Think HQ’s collaborative approach uncovered insights about the experiences of trans and gender-diverse people and the extent of unspoken discrimination they face – including the understanding that 93 per cent of communication is non-verbal – that informed the campaign platform.

Creative emphasises how small moments of unspoken bias accumulate to create a larger, pervasive culture of exclusion and discrimination.

Reinforcing the campaign tagline – ‘The unsaid says a lot. So, think about what you’re really saying – no words are spoken in the hero film.

The 60-second film depicts five everyday scenarios in which trans or gender diverse people are made to feel either excluded and rejected or welcomed and accepted, from sharing an elevator to catching public transport, moving into a new neighbourhood, turning up at a family gathering, or joining a footy team.

The scenarios are reflected in print and OOH executions, which feature stills and copy from each of the five scenarios, along with the campaign tagline.

Minister for Equality, Harriet Shing (she/her) said that The Unsaid Says A Lot campaign would help people see the impact of everyday discrimination experienced by trans and gender diverse communities. “This campaign is all about encouraging people to stop and think about how their actions towards trans and gender-diverse people can make a huge difference – for better or for worse. We know that our interactions with others really matter, and this campaign is part of our ongoing work to reduce discrimination and stigma, and to contribute to more inclusive connections for trans and gender diverse people”.

“With this campaign we are inviting all Victorians to think about how they act and what they can do to help shape equality in our state”.

“The power of this campaign lies in its co-creation with members of the trans and gender diverse community. Our aim was to deliver a state-wide campaign that celebrated and raised awareness of the community’s experiences, supporting greater inclusion and addressing trans and gender diverse discrimination. With that in mind, we worked with the community through a series of workshops to first define the issues and vision for the campaign, and come up with creative solutions together,” said Think HQ chief creative officer Andy Lima (he/him).

“I think this campaign is really important and powerful and I’m really pleased to be involved, especially in light of the vitriol we’ve witnessed towards the trans and gender diverse community over the past year. I wish we didn’t need to campaign for respect. I believe acceptance and inclusion should be a given, a bare minimum societally. I hope campaigns like this help work towards this goal, and improve the day-to-day lives of trans and gender-diverse people,” said prominent transgender director, actor, writer and producer Harvey Zielinski (he/him).

Creative materials including videos, posters, social media assets will be supported by a range of community engagement activities designed to foster empathy and inclusivity. The campaign urges the public to become allies to trans and gender diverse people by sharing and displaying resources and educational materials including videos and posters from The Unsaid website.

Campaign development was also supported by a La Trobe University survey that found more than 3 in 4 trans and gender diverse people were treated unfairly because of their gender identity in the preceding 12 months – a contributing factor to higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide in LGBTIQA+ people than in the general population.

The Unsaid Says a Lot is a key component of the Victorian Government’s Pride in our Future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022-32 that is dedicated to promoting equality and inclusivity for LGBTIQA+ communities across the state.

The work launched across media channels including online, print, outdoor and socials on 26 June.

 

CREDITS

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)

Laura Miller (she/her) – Director Strategic Communications and Digital

Jenny Ahmet (she/her) – Head of Campaigns, Brand and Design

Michael West (he/they) – Director, Seniors Policy, Equality and Elder Abuse Reform

Matthew Guy (he/him) – Manager, LGBTIQA+ Equality Programs

Think HQ

Jen Sharpe (she/her) – Founder and Managing Director

Lisa Gumbleton (she/her) – Group Head of Creative Strategy and Client Service

Andy Lima (he/him) – Chief Creative Officer

Fiona Nixon (she/her) – Chief Strategy Officer

Jess Glass (she/her) – Group Account Director

Blake Mason (he/they) – Group Account Director, PR

Evie McCullough (she/her) – Account Manager, PR

Rob Barnett (he/him) – Executive Creative Director

Sam McCarron (he/him) – Associate Creative Director

Max Bengtsson (he/him) – Senior Copywriter

David O’Connor (he/they) – Producer

Camilo Suarez (he/him) – Multimedia specialist

Nic Song (he/him) – Editor

Adam Dixon-Galea (he/him) – Sound Designer

CREW

Harvey Zielinski (he/him) – Director

Cielo Croci (he/him) – 1st AD

Alexander Naughton (he/him) – Cinematographer

Wei Guo (he/him) – Production Designer

Colin Page (he/him) – Photographer

Seth Geryon Suda (he/they) – Composer

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Aimee Edwards
By Aimee Edwards
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Aimee Edwards is a journalist at B&T, reporting across media, advertising, and the broader cultural forces shaping both. Her reporting covers the worlds of sport, politics, and entertainment, with a particular focus on how marketing intersects with cultural influence and social impact. Aimee is also a self-published author with a passion for storytelling around mental health, DE&I, sport, and the environment. Prior to joining B&T, she worked as a media researcher, leading projects on media trends and gender representation—most notably a deep dive into the visibility of female voices in sports media. 

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