OT: Well done England's women.

[monty_rhodes]

Cam, I'm surprised at that. It was the main sports story in the Times, Telegraph and Guardian and both Sky and the BBC here did quite extensive coverage. Take your point about Aretha and imo the reaction to her passing was a bit OTT. I'm more concerned that the revamp of Thomas the Tank Engine seems to have escaped the notice of Madsters! I daren't put a thread up on it because I will be accused of racism.

[CAMiller]

Cam, I'm surprised at that. It was the main sports story in the Times, Telegraph and Guardian and both Sky and the BBC here did quite extensive coverage. Take your point about Aretha and imo the reaction to her passing was a bit OTT. I'm more concerned that the revamp of Thomas the Tank Engine seems to have escaped the notice of Madsters! I daren't put a thread up on it because I will be accused of racism.

The times they are a changing Monty. In the case of Thomas it actually looks more like expanding marketing opportunities than political correctness, otherwise The Fat Controller would bite the dust or only be referred to as Sir Topham Hat as he is here.

Where I work our new Director of Diversity and Inclusion has introduced five focus groups for Women, Blacks, Latinos, Asian American/Pacific Islanders and Queers. Not sure where that includes me

(and before anyone presses the complain button, I work with a number of LGBTQ people who often use the term 'queer' to describe themselves)

[monty_rhodes]

The times they are a changing Monty. In the case of Thomas it actually looks more like expanding marketing opportunities than political correctness, otherwise The Fat Controller would bite the dust or only be referred to as Sir Topham Hat as he is here.

Where I work our new Director of Diversity and Inclusion has introduced five focus groups for Women, Blacks, Latinos, Asian American/Pacific Islanders and Queers. Not sure where that includes me

(and before anyone presses the complain button, I work with a number of LGBTQ people who often use the term 'queer' to describe themselves)

Have to agree with you, Cam, that the motivation seems to be about marketing to a global audience. However, I was itching to post a pic of the new controller, Charubala.

[nakedtruth]

The times they are a changing Monty. In the case of Thomas it actually looks more like expanding marketing opportunities than political correctness, otherwise The Fat Controller would bite the dust or only be referred to as Sir Topham Hat as he is here.

Where I work our new Director of Diversity and Inclusion has introduced five focus groups for Women, Blacks, Latinos, Asian American/Pacific Islanders and Queers. Not sure where that includes me

(and before anyone presses the complain button, I work with a number of LGBTQ people who often use the term 'queer' to describe themselves)

Some interesting views there CAMiller.

I saw an article in the Independant about Tunde Ogungbesan who is Director of Diversity and inclusion at the BBC, a job that pays him in the region of £170k pa.

He wants more LGBTQ (as you call them) people working at the BBC. Which is interesting because according to the BBCs own figures approx 11% of their staff claim to be in that group of people. This compares to 2 to 3% in the UK population as a whole. So the guy seems to be earning his inflated salary, but it begs the question, are people being hired by the BBC because they are LGBT and not just hired judged on whether they have the necessary skills and experience for the job in question?

[monty_rhodes]

Some interesting views there CAMiller.

I saw an article in the Independant about Tunde Ogungbesan who is Director of Diversity and inclusion at the BBC, a job that pays him in the region of £170k pa.

He wants more LGBTQ (as you call them) people working at the BBC. Which is interesting because according to the BBCs own figures approx 11% of their staff claim to be in that group of people. This compares to 2 to 3% in the UK population as a whole. So the guy seems to be earning his inflated salary, but it begs the question, are people being hired by the BBC because they are LGBT and not just hired judged on whether they have the necessary skills and experience for the job in question?

Tunde is doing a great job and the Diversity, Inclusion and Disability empire within the BBC is expanding all the time. The corporation is working to self-imposed quota targets which as you say have LGBT representation at six times the national percentage. There are other reasons to celebrate. As at 2015 45% of TV Production Apprentices were BAME as were 50% of Digital Journlaism Apprentices and by 2020 the BBC target is for 15% of onscreen presenters to be BAME. As the corporation can rightly boast "To help us make sure we are headed in the right direction" we have an Independent Diversity Action Panel. Check out the names and see which group is missing. Brave New World.

[nakedtruth]

Tunde is doing a great job and the Diversity, Inclusion and Disability empire within the BBC is expanding all the time. The corporation is working to self-imposed quota targets which as you say have LGBT representation at six times the national percentage. There are other reasons to celebrate. As at 2015 45% of TV Production Apprentices were BAME as were 50% of Digital Journlaism Apprentices and by 2020 the BBC target is for 15% of onscreen presenters to be BAME. As the corporation can rightly boast "To help us make sure we are headed in the right direction" we have an Independent Diversity Action Panel. Check out the names and see which group is missing. Brave New World.

Doesn’t sound healthy.

We will never get equality whilst we are pointing out differences.

[monty_rhodes]

Doesn’t sound healthy.

We will never get equality whilst we are pointing out differences.

Naked, do you know why the number of BAME, LGBT and disabled staff at the BBC is growing exponentially? It's an inevitable consequence of quotas, Diversity Directors and Action Panels and having people like Lenny Henry proferring "advice". A recruiter faced with a white, middle-class, well-educated and hetero***ual candidate or a black, disabled lesbian knows exactly which selection will bring them flack. They go with the flow.