According to Marvel Studios President Victoria Alonso, the popular studio does not view their attempts to achieve validation by a vague metric of ‘diversity and inclusion’ as a “political game”, but rather as “100 percent a responsibility” for a global company.
Giving a speech regarding her diversity and inclusion efforts at Marvel Studios during her reception of the night’s Visionary Award at the November 13th Outfest Legacy Awards, Alonso declared to attendees, “We have tried to stir it up and sometimes the critics are not with us.”
“That’s OK. That’s OK,” she continued. “We thank you for being a critic. We thank you for writing about us. And the fans will decide.”
She further proclaimed, “Diversity and inclusion is not a political game for us.”
“It is 100 percent a responsibility because you don’t get to have the global success that we have given the Walt Disney Company without the support of people around the world of every kind of human there is,” Alonso added – an ironic statement considering the company’s constant censorious pandering of LGBT+ content for foreign markets and their continued turning of a blind-eye to China’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur people.
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Committing herself to further diversity in Marvel storytelling, Alonso then declared, “I want to do it all. I want to make sure I get out there and I create as much change as time will allow.”
Alonso then turned to fellow honoree Rain Valdez, themselves a male-to-female transgender individual, and told them, “I see you. You’re not alone.”
“I perhaps have not 100 percent done right by you,” she apologized. “But I can assure you for as long as I am at Marvel Studios, I will do right by you. One of the greatest gifts that we can give each other is in the belonging, is knowing that you do belong. Don’t walk in thinking you don’t belong.”
What do you make of Alonso’s further commitment to the ever-changing concept of diversity and inclusion? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!