Holding space for contradiction

More than one thing can be true at the same time

Part of Doing The Work (of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity) means holding space for contradiction. And I was reminded of this fact multiple?times last week.

Holding space for contradiction is about holding space for the existence of multiple truths at the same time that directly works against each other. Holding space for a reality that is not so much 'either/or' but 'yes and'. Let's talk about Heinz. In case you haven’t seen it, Heinz have been widely criticised for a racist ad that has appeared on billboards and tube adverts. An ad that has now been pulled, and for which they have (kind of) apologised for.?You can read my take on the whole thing here. And in the comments, even on my one posts, there were so many examples of the existence of contradictory truths. As well as some really great discussions that Heinz would do well to learn from.

For example (but not limited to)

Contradiction 3 - It’s really important that we call out racism when we see it in the public domain.? Fear of being called out is the biggest reason brands use for not being open about their anti-racism progress or lack of it.

Contradiction 4 - The Heinz ad played into racist stereotypes of absent Black fathers. Advertising should be able to show a breadth of family settings, not just heteronormative, two-parent examples.

Contradiction 5 - Advertising that represents minoritised communities often gets increased attention and scrutiny. Mistakes are inevitable and expected as brands take action around equity and inclusion. (Mistakes, but not harm. There is a difference)

Each of these contradictions represents a "yes and" scenario. Each of these contradictions are simultaneously true and work against each other. Each of these contradictions are, in fact, in direct conflict and the existence of one makes the other really difficult to tackle or address.

Holding space for contradiction means acknowledging it. It means accepting and looking for contradiction. It means being open and willing to be corrected - welcoming this even if it feels raw and personal. And it means staying true to our values, without resorting to binary battles of "right versus wrong" that prevent learning. For the full article, and the first two contradictions, head to my substack.

I would love to hear what you think. Feel free to comment below. Check out Brand by Me's latest blog post. It’s all about the difference between diversity and representation, and anti-racism. And the dangers of confusing the two. A difference that many brands, including Heinz, would really benefit from understanding and acting on.

Thank you for being here.

Collette Philip is the founder of Brand by Me, the anti-racist brand agency.

This newsletter, Brand by Us is an occasional publication for brand-builders and communicators who are serious about anti-racism and equity. For more content, head to our blog, follow Brand by Me here or on Instagram.