Bias of Concern

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Bias of Concern

The bias of concern likely stems in part from evolutionary biology: caring about those similar to us helps pass our genetic material along to future generations while caring for those very different from us does not. That’s why familiarity and visibility are so important, as are “we are normal” approaches. But the connection to the “self” is likely to happen more when we connect to members of the target group, eg. co-workers, family members, etc.

[dt-space height=”20″][ultimate_modal modal_title=”Case Study: United States” btn_bg_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_hover_color=”#efefef” btn_text=”Case Study: United States” overlay_bg_opacity=”80″ img_size=”80″ btn_txt_color=”#dd9933″ button_text_font_style=”font-style:italic;,font-weight:bold;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:18px;” button_text_line_height=”desktop:18px;”]Example of a campaign that reframes LGBT families as neighbors and schoolmates

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What this means for SOGI campaigning is that people move not because of concern for LGBT people in general, but for co-workers, family members, and others, who are LGBT. The challenge for our campaigns is that there is a contradiction between seeking acceptance of diversity and difference, and playing on the bias of concern by trying to resemble the general population as much as possible.

[ultimate_modal modal_title=”Case study: Grandma in Slovenia” btn_bg_color=”#efefef” btn_bg_hover_color=”#efefef” btn_text=”Case study: Grandma in Slovenia” overlay_bg_opacity=”80″ img_size=”80″ btn_txt_color=”#dd9933″ button_text_font_style=”font-style:italic;,font-weight:bold;” button_text_font_size=”desktop:18px;” button_text_line_height=”desktop:18px;”]See how this video very cleverly associate the bias of self-concern (the happy family) and the concern for others (the caring grandma).[/ultimate_modal]

LGBTI representation in Chile

In Chile, the LGBT organisation MOVILH was advised by a PR agency working on their poster campaign to choose “attractive” representations of Lesbian and Gay characters in order to elicit the bias of concern. MOVILH refused to follow that piece of advise and continued to depict the diversity of LGBTI people, including in matters of age, race, ethnic background, ability, “beauty”, etc. MOVILH clearly prioritised the more long term objective of fundamental acceptance of diversity.

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