This Way Up has launched a manifesto film entitled ‘We Are Not a Stereotype’ to mark International Women’s Day 2021. Featuring 38 prominent women from the design and creative industry, including Debbie Millman – world renowned designer & podcaster, Pip Jamieson – CEO & Founder of the Dots, Vicki Maguire – Chief Creative Officer at Havas London, and Laura Jordan Bambach – President & Chief Creative Officer at Grey London and Co-Founder of SheSays.

The minute long film shows each woman in succession, sitting at their desks, some with their children, within the familiar framing of a Zoom call, which has become so evocative of working life throughout Coronavirus.

Up-and-coming female actor Roisin O’Mahony recites the campaign manifesto, with the words emphasised with graphic text, such as: “Let’s be seen, let’s be heard, so we can be a force to be reckoned with”.

The inspiration for this film came from The Guardian articles that revealed how the Coronavirus is widening the UK gender pay gap and has increased employers’ proclivities to omit female talent from pay rises and promotions. Other findings include that:

• Women in their mid-30s may never know equal pay in their working lives.
• Working mothers are 47% more likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic.
• Working mothers also are more likely to be furloughed and their hours have been cut
  back 50% more