I work in design education and I’ve seen young women sidelined from the earliest stage in their careers, labelled a ‘great Studio Manager’ for their organisation and leadership skills rather than as a future Creative Director. I’ve seen fantastic designers put off design careers because intense working patterns aggravates their chronic illness or doesn’t fit round their caring responsibilities. Some leave graphic design in search of practices that better reflect the values they want to embody through their work.
On a more positive note, I’ve also seen the way women and other marginalised folk in design work to support each other and question the toxic elements of our industry. This gives me hope that the future of design doesn’t just have a more balanced workforce, but can be an all round force for good in the world, even if there is still a lot of work to be done to get there.
Industry
