One of the biggest issues people face today is a lack of representation. Whether it is in movies, tv shows, or positions of power/leadership, there tends to be a lack of diversity and inclusive images of all races and genders. Although this is something that people are raising awareness of, there is still a lot that can be done to break old habits and embrace new traditions, especially in the workplace.
Since most businesses are engaged with social media in some way, stock images have become very popular. Lots of businesses use these kinds of images to promote blogs or reveal company news. A frequent problem people are noticing in stock images is a lack of diversity across all races and genders. It is important to become aware of this problem so we can learn how to fix it.
Why is Inclusive Imagery Important?
Inclusive Images are important because they show representation. One issue minorities face is a lack of representation in different forms of media. This can affect how younger people view themselves in either a positive or negative way. Accurate representation is a helpful way to let people of any age see themselves and their potential shown in a positive light. Similarly, a lack of representation can lead people to distance themselves from that portrayed reality by assuming they are not able to reach those same goals.
Where Can I Find Inclusive Imagery?
There are lots of wonderful websites that feature a variety of inclusive images. Here are the top four websites.
The Gender Spectrum Collection
This website features a variety of free stock images featuring images of trans and non-binary models. These pictures display a range of different scenarios such as lifestyle pictures, to health.
TONL
TONL works to provide stock photos that show different backgrounds people might relate to. This site makes it a point to accurately portray different minority groups that have previously been misrepresented.
Body Liberation Photos
This website breaks the norms of only featuring thin, white, young people. Instead, Body Liberation covers plus-size people engaging in a variety of different activities. Their decision to represent people of any body style helps break the habit of companies only hiring traditional models for photos.
IMAGO. is a picture agency that focuses on providing high-quality photos for any topic. When it comes to diversity, this site provides a variety of pictures from many different parts of life. Whether you need a photo showing university life, or you would like to focus on business scenarios, IMAGO. provides quality images.
Overall, representation of every race and gender should be something that every business makes a point to include. Stock images are a good place to start, while other changes come as the company grows.
