The Black Lives Matter movement around the world has rightly prompted periods of self-reflection for all of us and a long, hard rethink on our culture and history.
In a decade of working for Optician, I have always thought of the industry as nothing but diverse. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics backs this up, with 27% of optometrists in the UK of black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) origin. For dispensing opticians, the figure was slightly lower at 15% of the 9,000-strong workforce. Looking at other similar professions like dentists (28% BAME) and pharmacists (32% BAME), optics compares pretty favourably.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement or that issues around race don’t exist within the profession. Instances of alleged racism and prejudice in optics are already being exposed in the US with practitioners and even high-profile eyewear designers caught up in social media controversy and ‘cancel culture’ – where individuals encourage others to boycott or online shame another party.
The immediacy and tact of social media platforms isn’t compatible with the editorial policies of a trusted and respected journal like Optician, but I want to make it known that if the title receives a complaint from a reader around an issue of alleged racial prejudice, Optician will investigate the matter and publish the findings in the fullest and fairest way possible. Similarly, if any reader wants to share their experience of racism during their career, Optician will proudly provide you with that platform.
We all need to be clear that there is no place in this great industry for racism and no hiding place for anyone that perpetuates it.
