Let’s Be Honest: The conversation on immigration is neither neat nor simple.

So in this episode, Rachel and Simon wade straight into the mess of history, aspiration, personal fear, good intentions and the fear of getting it wrong which make it so complicated.

Simon unpacks the historical waves of immigration since the War and the reaction which exposes public ambivalence and ingrained biases, caught between welcoming diversity and grappling with the underlying uncertainties which for so many reflects reality in UK workplaces. Born in Australia, Rachel tells how she was compelled every year to show up Britain’s intimidating immigration hub in Croydon, until she could finally become officially British in front of a cardboard cut-out of the Queen. Meanwhile,

The discussion challenges simplistic, binary views on race, identity, and integration. Behind every headline statistic and heated debate are real human stories, the personal experiences of immigrants. Central to the conversation is the crucial role that curiosity and language play in shaping inclusive workplaces.

As Simon explores the changes to Dagenham since his family owned it in the 16th and 17th centuries and the initial peculiarity of some loo signage at Edinburgh University, they confront serious questions: What role does language really play in integration? How do we move past simplistic narratives about race and identity to foster genuine workplace cohesion? Why questions of race may be morally black and white, but practically they are more complicated. And who wore Union Jack shoes at a citizenship ceremony?

The episode invites listeners to view immigration not as a monolithic policy matter but as a multifaceted human challenge requiring thoughtful integration over assimilation, inquiry over offence, and fact-driven conversations over fear-driven narratives.

Expect laughter and a healthy dose of fearless candour as they untangle myths, misconceptions, and the genuine anxieties that shape Britain’s diverse workplaces.

Official immigration stats

https://shorturl.at/Sw9W6

NHS staff stats

https://shorturl.at/SPNPB

King’s Fund reports on immigrants and health

https://shorturl.at/9flnL

Social Attitudes Survey

https://natcen.ac.uk/publications/british-social-attitudes-41-national-identity

Attitudes to race – IPSOS

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/attitudes-race-and-inequality-great-britain

EVENS (Evidence for Equality National Survey) 2023 (Guardian article)

https://shorturl.at/pAUyv

Tomiwa Owolade critique of the EVENS

https://shorturl.at/xvT5H

Instructing Animosity: How DEI Pedagogy Produces The Hostile Attribution Bias (Rutgers 2024)

https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/Instructing-Animosity_11.13.24.pdf

For more about Rachel: Who Is The Fearless Facilitator? - Fearless Facilitator

For more about Simon: Who We Are – Diversity by Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After explosive scenes at Glastonbury and two alarming reports detailing “cancellation” and fear sweeping through both publishing and the arts, Fearless Diversity dives into the complex world of artistic freedom, censorship and public outrage.

Simon wrestles with whether there are any limits to what artists can say and whether Rod Stewart should just shut up about Gaza and Farage, and stick to singing “Maggie May”. Meanwhile Rachel tries (and fails) to keep the chat away from her beloved football, Edinburgh and her horror at the antisemitism at Glastonbury.

We’re not afraid to tackle the big issues:

· Should Glastonbury—or any promoter—gag their artists?

· Did the BBC go too far by airing those incendiary performances live to millions?

· Should festival boss Emily Eavis have shown more caution in her line-up?

We explore the issues around those hounded out of publishing and the arts simply for voicing their views. And we ask: Should museums tell us what to think, or should the public be trusted to make up their own minds?

From “Queers for Palestine” banners to Marilyn Manson’s headline-grabbing antics - and even the shocking appearance of a Hitler flag at Glasto - nothing is off limits as we explore the blurry line between free speech, the freedom of artists, outrage, hostility and moral responsibility or the law. Was Rushdie right when he said "The moment you limit free speech it's not free speech'.

Plus, find out why Simon’s mother protested at Scotland’s smartest retailer Jenner’s and how Rachel was brought up by an elephant.

This week’s show is bold, provocative and just serious enough to keep us on air. We hope this episode prompts us all to ask: what exactly is artistic freedom for?

Tune in, shout at your speaker or nod in agreement and let's thrash it out together. At Fearless Diversity we are always up for a difference of opinion.

RESOURCES:

Freedom In The Arts (FITA) report

https://shorturl.at/hs3UI

Every Day Cancellation in Publishing Report

https://sex-matters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Everyday-cancellation-in-publishing-Sex-Matters.pdf

The First Writers' Congress of Donald Trump – David Aaronovitch

https://shorturl.at/Q5ZGO

Rachel Rooney - My Body Is Me – attacked

https://shorturl.at/HVjSV

Buy it:

https://shorturl.at/HyoT1

Letter to Sadler’s Well re Barclays sponsorship

https://shorturl.at/Sex2J

Letter re Manchester Royal Exchange’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

https://shorturl.at/tEl1H

Report on letter to PEN opposing the Award to Charlie Hebdo

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/29/writers-join-protest-charlie-hebdo-pen-award

For more about Rachel: Who Is The Fearless Facilitator? - Fearless Facilitator

For more about Simon: Who We Are – Diversity by Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PIP PIP Hooray - Disability: People, Potential, and the Art of the Possible

Welcome to Fearless Diversity the podcast that tackles the tricky bits of life in work and has the conversation that you want to. This week Simon and Rachel dive into disability after the huge public, media and Parliamentary furore about welfare reform and the implications for disabled people receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP). In our conversation we unpick some of the biggest issues facing disabled people in the UK today, from societal stigma, employment and pay gaps to the ongoing complexity of reasonable adjustments, the increase in mental health issues and guess what? Donkeys, yes donkeys, play a starring role.

Expect frank conversation as we explore the uncomfortable truths of workplace discrimination and the baffling obstacles of physical and digital accessibility. There’s plenty of laughter too, as Rachel recounts her uniquely blunt doctor's appointment, and Simon shares a surprisingly profound life lesson learned during a spirited game of croquet!

Follow our conversation moving beyond the importance of just considering the needs of people living with disability to seeing that as a crucial step in unlocking human potential at work and in life.

Settle in and join us as we ask why we are still so hesitant to embrace the art of the possible when it comes to disability and how we can reframe the entire conversation into one that is human, and focuses on the potential of everyone.

How Kendall can stop this national sickness - Fraser Nelson (The Times)

https://shorturl.at/rFvnK

Professor Peter Fonagy - Understanding the crisis in young people’s mental health

https://www.health.org.uk/features-and-opinion/blogs/understanding-the-crisis-in-young-people-s-mental-health

Government advice on disability and employment

https://www.gov.uk/rights-disabled-person/employment

The employment of disabled people updated 20 June 2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024

Team Domenica

https://teamdomenica.com/

The scenario

Sally has a diagnosis of autism. But she has not told anyone. Not her colleagues, not her manager, not HR. She is a high performer.

Colleagues have noticed that she can take statements very literally which can cause problems or that she sometimes appears to struggle to figure out when it’s her turn to talk or listen during a conversation. As a result, she sometimes talks for an excessive period of time or at others seems disinterested in what colleagues are saying.

Quite often people in the team will joke that: “Oh, I park my car in the same spot every day … I must be a bit autistic” or “I’m super OCD about my desk being tidy”. Finally one day having coffee with her team in the canteen her frustration boils over. “Well I am autistic”, she says. Two of her colleagues say, trying to be sympathetic, “Gosh, well we’re all a bit on the spectrum”. And Sally leaves.

For more about Rachel: Who Is The Fearless Facilitator? - Fearless Facilitator

For more about Simon: Who We Are – Diversity by Design

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.