What The Traitors can teach us about diversity, equity and inclusion
7-min read
What can we learn about diversity, equity and inclusion from watching The Traitors (series one).
Have you seen The Traitors? The question doing the rounds across group chats over last year’s festive season. Ahead of the release of series two we thought we’d reflect on some DEI learnings from last season.
The Traitors’ format, including team tasks, evening parties, round table discussions and midnight ‘murders’ creates a unique, accelerated, view of society and how biases can affect anyone not seen as part of the majority. The first few episodes in particular put pressure on people to make snap judgements about relative strangers.
The premise
The BBC’s The Traitors hosted by Claudia Winkleman. “Get them before they get you”. 22 contestants compete to win up to £120K and have to work together to find ‘the traitors’ amongst them, ‘murdering’ fellow contestants the ‘faithfuls’. At the same time, the traitors are picking them off one by one every night whilst pretending to be a ‘faithful’. Oh, and they have to work together to complete tasks that earn them money for the prize fund. Which the traitors could steal for themselves, if any of them remain undiscovered within the group, at the series finale.
Queue lies, deceit, mind games, manipulation, many false accusations, and some binge-worthy TV.
Diversity does not equal inclusion
On the surface, the program might seem like a good pick when referencing inclusion as it makes a fair attempt at diverse casting. However, the first few episodes highlight deeply ingrained societal stereotypes and multiple unconscious biases from all cast members in some shape and form.
It perfectly illustrates why diversity alone is no match for ingrained isms, such as ableism, racism, and sexism, found in our society. When you look at the stereotypes that run through media and culture it’s no wonder that the contestant’s unconscious bias reflects the attitudes many marginalised people face every day in society. This is why we need EDI work to highlight and evolve workplace attitudes, behaviours and cultures so everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
The cast of The Traitors in front of a castle. Two cloaked figures are in front either side of Claudia Winkleman.
In-group out-group
Imagine an environment you’ve been in recently. It could be a theatre audience, a restaurant or an office. If you’re in the UK, the chances are the majority of people around you were white. The fact the cast was majority white and in a state of threat (of being ‘murdered’ by a traitor every night and having to leave the competition), it’s no surprise the contestants went into an in-group out-group mentality at their first opportunity.
In social and psychological terms, sticking with people who we identify with - part of our in-group - and having fear of the out-group is a safety mechanism. Which is why it’s a bias we unconsciously revert back to in times of pressure and stress when our unconscious mind takes over to keep us safe from a perceived threat.
When asked to get together at their first ‘round table’ discussion, to decide who amongst them they thought was a traitor and banish from the game entirely, they singled out people who would be called as ‘other’ in society.
There had been numerous names mentioned by all contestants before they were in that pressurised setting but during the first few episodes the three people first singled out by the group were Black, Brown or physically disabled. The group mentality, heavily influenced by those with unseen power (the unknown traitors) swayed quickly under initial reactions and assumptions which would have been underpinned by their unconscious bias and stereotypes of people different from them.
In society and the workplace, we know bias is not helpful. It stops us connecting properly with people who have a perceived difference from us. It stifles creativity, learning and growth when we only interact with people who share our way of thinking.
The influence of media
Everyone has unconscious bias and you better believe it influences our decisions.
It’s easy to see from media influence why Fay and Imran as Black and Brown people may be seen as part of the out-group and a threat, especially as they were vocal and didn’t fade into the background. Think anti-migrant narratives, stereotypical media representation of Brown people as terrorists or Black people as aggressive.
But for Nicky, a woman with one arm, to be accused could come as a surprise given the mixed media narrative around disabled people as being either benefit scroungers - inciting either fear or pity- or Paralympians, placing them as heroes. These stereotypes we’re exposed to from all angles shape the way we make instant judgements about people so it could have gone either way for Nicky.
However, looking at the influence of film we see the disabled villain trope. One-armed, scarred or physically disabled people are often characterised as scary villains. Think Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Tee Hee in James Bond and Freddy Kruger in Nightmare on Elm Street.
The unconscious bias and infiltration of the media painting one-armed characters as villains. After a traitor sowed the initial seed of doubt the conformity bias in the group had people doubting Nicky’s character and intentions.
Meanwhile, as the initial episodes play out we see other stereotypes and assumptions being made.
Stereotypes and assumptions
Meryl, the contestant with achondroplasia, is not mentioned once as being a potential traitor which could be simply due to her short stature and stereotypes associated with physical disabilities and her gender - that she is incapable and just not seen as a threat.
During the ‘It’s Not Fair’ challenge where contestants have to think under extreme pressure and answer quickly with their initial thoughts as a group, she was named as the most ‘deserving of winning the prize fund’. This aligns with the persistent media narratives that disabled people are incapable of work and earning their own money, all live off benefits and are people who need to be pitied. Which is not the case in reality.
As Meryl shows in later episodes she is perfectly capable of competing alongside and working in a team with her fellow contestants and even excelling where others don’t. Especially when reasonable adjustments are provided - such as smaller barrels to roll or smaller cash bags to grab and walk to safety, across a rickety bridge, whilst blindfolded.
The show also highlighted dangerous stereotypes about Black women which we see perpetuated in media narratives and playing out in workplace disputes. During the ‘It’s Not Fair’ challenge the Black female, contestant Fay was selected as the most ‘two-faced’ by fellow contestants and the most ‘ruthless’ which are descriptions that can be attributed to stereotypes we see often in media under the angry Black woman trope.
Ageism
The narrative throughout also shows older contestants as non-threatening and actually underestimated in terms of the physical and mental strength they can bring to the contest and the overall life experience that comes with age.
“The blue team were at a disadvantage as the green team had all the young people”.
Welsh Traitor, Amanda, is not seen as a threat and other contestants state early on ‘she could never be a traitor’. Her intelligence, influence and strategic thinking fly completely under the radar as she’s seen as a warm and friendly mother figure.
Likewise, Alyssa volunteers to be a traitor and successfully plays into the stereotypes she is used to experiencing in society; people assuming she’s a sweet and innocent young woman, incapable of strategy and being ruthless - which is needed from a traitor.
Contestants round table discussion
Why diversity doesn’t equal success without equity and inclusion
We saw for ourselves how bias can show up in society and the workplace when a group of diverse individuals come together:
Unconscious bias runs deep and affects our decisions, especially under pressure.
Conformity bias can influence our decisions about others based on who else is present (think interviews, employee reviews).
The more intersectional a person is, the more ways they may face stereotyping and bias.
Equity and inclusion work is needed to:
Understand how and when unconscious bias shows up.
Understand who may be affected and how.
How to look out for bias, use equitable strategies and work together to navigate them.
What people with different backgrounds and protected characteristics (age, disability, gender, sexuality, religion, etc) may experience and have to spend extra unpaid labour and mental energy on.
How to support different people in the workplace and create an environment where everyone can bring their full selves, skills and experience to the organisation.
So, what did The Traitors teach us about diversity, equity and inclusion?
Just because you have diverse people in your organisation it does not mean they are included and are set up to thrive. Everyone has different skills, experiences and knowledge to bring to the table but people also face unseen bias and invisible barriers that can hold them back from their greatest achievements.
This is where equity and inclusion work are needed to create a culture for mutual success.
If you would like consultancy on diversity, equity and inclusion goals, strategies and measures within your organisation please get in touch.