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Best (non-agency) company to work at in Boston??
Chief
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Chief
You're useful and have a purpose to them. Don't question good things.
Chief
@SC You sound like you’re not aware of the fact that we’re all cogs in the machine of capitalism. It is what it is.
Chief
An agency asking you to go to a shoot because the client likes you is pretty normal. Them asking you to ‘be you’ is actually a good thing. (Imagine them asking not to be yourself, you would probably hate that.)
Unless someone has literally asked you to be a sassy gay or told you ‘the survival of this agency depends on you being sassy’, it sounds like you’re projecting some personal views onto them.
I’m straight but many think I’m gay. Just because I’m quirky and stylish and not a testosterone dude. I don’t know if people know what I really am- don’t really care. But I’m happy to entertain in my own heterosassy way. I make people laugh and warm up the room.
Heterosassy lol
What would you prefer? We're in an industry built on persuasion, and your personality persuades people. If you don't like that start being a stick in the mud.
Pro
I have AuDHD and it’s my literal dream to have someone tell me just to “be me” lmao. I was let go from my last job because I’m so bad at socializing. 🤪
Chief
This…
Pro
When something is on your mind, it helps to do a sanity check.
-Are they using gay-coded terms like sassy, or is that your summary?
-Are you getting opportunities that help your creative director career?
-Is the office generally supportive of gay employees?
-Are they supporting you in other sides of your career - like paying you well, or giving you interesting projects?
There was an episode of Mad Men about this. Sal didn’t go along with it, and was fired. I hated that his story ended like that.
What opportunities do you want beyond this that you feel you might not be getting with just being in this space? I think you might be a good position to say to your leader that you have client relations down, and want to get more exposure/opportunity into something or a role you want to own on the next pitch/project.
I don’t think tokenism is ok - firstly it puts a lot of pressure on you to be a certain way all the time, in the way that women are expected to be nice agreeable all the time. Secondly it creates less room for others in your minority group because they think got that token covered. You deserve to be respected for the work that you do, and valued for that - not put in a box. Call it out if you feel safe to do so, it will help create a safer space for others in the future.
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve been in a similar spot, at a past agency, they would invite me to pitches because I was the “mean tattooed guy” who brought edge. At first it felt like a gimmick, but I realized if you can ride that perception and use it as a way to show your actual creative chops, it stops being limiting and starts being leverage.
My two cents, push to make sure your work and perspective are highlighted along with the “personality” they want you for. If they’re putting you in the room, you’ve already got an advantage, just don’t let them forget you’re more than comic relief.
I don’t love the idea of being “staffed” for personality instead of talent. It’s tenuous, and can undercut your experience and growth. I think you can absolutely say something if you feel it’s getting in the way of the job you’re there to do.
We all have an identity. When our identity is needed, why is that a problem. This feels like you’re looking for problems instead of being happy no one is criticizing you and wanting you to be different than you are.
I get it; it's exhausting. All of my commercial scripts instantly became “the female perspective option” or I was invited to meetings with women-led companies so the agency didn't look like a boys' club (it totally was), even though my role wasn't needed. I don’t have a solution 😅 just commiserating as a fellow introverted writer who puts up with crap for a paycheck.
Fellow token gay here. In true capitalist style, I've used it to my commercial advantage as much as possible. Everyone in advertising has already sold out to some degree - we're not engaged in a noble pursuit here. Just try to have a blast, make some good work, and continue being someone that people want to be around.
Don't they expect everyone to be 'on', especially when there's a client there? But expecting you to play what they think a gay man should be is wrong.
Ironically, I only have one token non-sassy gay male coworker.
But if he’s non-sassy can he really be a token?
I guess the grass is always greener.