With We Are Many, Refinery29 Australia Makes A Promise

Did you know Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world? Nearly half of us were either born overseas, or have at least one parent who was. Meanwhile, 18% of Australians live with a disability, and 5.6% identify with a sexual orientation that’s not heterosexual.

But from looking at the media and advertising we consume on a daily basis, you wouldn’t know it; all too often, conventionally beautiful, cis, white, able-bodied, slim women with perfect teeth, long hair and blemish-free skin are portrayed as the 'norm'.

We don’t need to tell you that representation matters. What we see impacts not just how we see each other, but how we see ourselves — and as a brand whose core values are diversity and inclusivity, it's important to us that we play a part in helping evolve the visual representation of all Australian women and underrepresented people.

That's why we're excited to share that we've launched an ongoing partnership with Getty Images, a world leader in visual communications, to create stock photo libraries that will spotlight multiple underrepresented communities in Australia.

Made available to any media outlet or business with a Getty Images licence to ensure they're used as widely as possible, our We Are Many project kicks off with a library of 100 images capturing First Nations peoples across five key categories identified by Refinery29 Australia and Getty Images as lacking in its representation of Indigenous Australians: work, relationships, wellness, lifestyle and technology.

We partnered with incredible Port Hedland-based photographer and proud Ngarluma, Karriyarra (Pilbara) Yawuru, Nyulnyul (Kimberley) woman Bobbi Lockyer, who called on her own network to recruit First Nations talent who identify as female, queer or non-binary to bring the stunning photos to life.

The next two image galleries, which will roll out over the coming six months, will focus on the plus-size and LGBTQIA+ communities. They'll be shot by Sydney-based queer photographer and stylist Lexi Laphor (@femmeasfuck) and Melbourne-based photographer and plus-size model Laura Du Vé (@lvdphoto) respectively. You can read more about our trio of awesome photographers and what this project means to them here.

In step with celebrated partnerships between Refinery29 and Getty Images in other markets — including The 67% Collection and The No Apologies Collection — all the images that form part of the We Are Many are intersectional, nontraditional, and unapologetic in their celebration of the unretouched human body and experience. Starting now, you'll see these images in our reporting — and it's just a hint of what's to come.

This project is just one example of our ongoing commitment to YOU, 365 days a year. Tell us how we're doing. Keep us accountable. Give us feedback on what you'd like to see more — or less — of. You belong here.