For marginalised communities, one of the most difficult realities to face is the misconceptions continually thrown around about you; falsities and fictions that have been created over time to harm the community, either directly or indirectly.

The only way to shift the narrative and correct those misconceptions is through education and awareness, something that Gay Times is aiming to do through a new campaign for the organisation’s charity Amplifund created by Grey London.

‘It can happen, it does happen, it will happen’ captures the words and experiences of real LGBTQ+ people from around the world, to challenge the way they are perceived, with a particular focus on Jamaica, Armenia and Iraq.

The campaign’s aim is to amplify voices and perspectives through a striking graphically based design. The words tell the stories of individual experiences from LGBTQ+ people in Jamaica, Armenia and Iraq with the aim of enlightening the LGBTQ+ community in other countries to the reality of a life lived under misconception. The social and digital images drive people to an online hub where they can learn more about the people behind the stories.

Tag Warner, CEO of Gay Times said; “So often our LGBTQ+ partners supported and funded by Amplifund speak to us about how communications from charitable campaigns out of the UK can be patronising or inaccurate. This campaign developed with Grey London challenges this frustrating narrative by affirming many progressive LGBTQ+ experiences do happen - even if they are more often challenging than our own.”   

This campaign is an example of the power of communications to challenge unconscious bias and to educate and enlighten people to change. Because it is only through understanding the lived experience of those who are different to ourselves that we can demonstrate real empathy and help to create a more inclusive society.