ANZ Bank Challenges Hurtful Homophobic Language with #LoveSpeech

For this year’s Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras sponsorship, ANZ is empowering the Australian LGBTIQ+ community and its allies to challenge hurtful homophobic language by spreading a little #LoveSpeech.

In Australia, 74% of the LGBTIQ+ community believe that hurtful and homophobic language directed at them is a major issue, but only 34% feel confident in calling it out. Source: YouGov Galaxy Research, Jan 2020

With 52% of non-LGBTIQ+ Australians believing the community gets offended too easily, it’s no wonder the community feels disempowered to confront it. Source: YouGov Galaxy Research, Jan 2020

As principal partner of Mardi Gras, ANZ has launched #LoveSpeech – a campaign borne from the bank’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion.

To ignite the conversation, a raw, emotive film has been released which calls attention to the profoundly negative effects hurtful language has on the the LGBTIQ+ community –underscoring that ‘Words Do Hurt’. 

Directed by the Glue Society, the film portrays a collection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer individuals sharing their own lived experiences.

Hugely confronting in its unscripted honesty, the film concludes on a hopeful note – appealing for a world with more #LoveSpeech.

Surrounding the film, ANZ is revealing a prominent billboard overlooking the Mardi Gras parade-route which boldly espouses that ‘Boys Should Never Wear Dresses’, only to see LGBTIQ+ Graffiti artist, David Lee Pereira, disarm this hurtful slur by adding, ‘Without A Killer Pair of Heels’. The billboard is supported by a series of colourful posters and gifs that take frequently heard hurtful comments and flip them into #LoveSpeech.

In addition, ANZ has created two useful tools in the quest for more #LoveSpeech. The ‘Hurt Blocker’ is a Google Chrome Extention, which transforms hurtful slurs into fun-loving emoji’s. 

And ANZ's Guide to #LoveSpeech helps people understand how words (even when unintentional) can hurt. 

“We are incredibly proud of the work we have done over the years to demonstrate support for our LGBTIQ+ staff, customers and community. This year’s campaign is no different.  With unkind, cruel and damaging comments directed at the community every single day, we think it’s time for more #LoveSpeech,” says Sweta Mehra, chief marketing officer for ANZ.

“As a long time sponsor of Mardi Gras, ANZ has a remarkable history of support for LGBTIQ+ inclusion. In a world where intentional hatred and casual homophobia can be shouted from the rooftops without any real consequence, #LoveSpeech draws a line in the sand for a more civilised, more respectful and less combative conversation,” says TBWA\Melbourne

The campaign is further supported by a PR strategy which sees influencers Benjamin Law (social commentator and writer), Moana Hope (AFLW) and Georgie Stone (actress and trans advocate) lend their voices to the initiative.

“As highlighted by the research, hurtful language is not only an issue that deeply affects the LGBTIQ+ community, but one that affects us as a nation. What is most startling is the discrepancy between what is perception and what is sadly, reality. We encourage everyone to get behind ANZ’s Love Speech campaign. Let's spread a little more #LoveSpeech far and wide,” said Thrive PR.