End Accent Discrimination - Make Accent a Protected Characteristic!
The Issue
Petition Summary: Accent discrimination is an overlooked but deeply ingrained form of bias in the UK. People are unfairly judged, denied job opportunities, and treated with prejudice simply because of the way they speak. This is an unacceptable barrier to equality and must be urgently addressed by law. We call on the UK Parliament to amend the Equality Act 2010 to include accent as a protected characteristic, providing the necessary legal protection.
Why This Is Important: The Protect Accent organisation has worked tirelessly for years to raise awareness of accent discrimination and its intersectional impact on other areas of discrimination, such as socio-economic class, race, etc., for many years. Studies such as the one conducted by the Sutton Trust in 2022 found that 25% of adults in the UK have experienced discrimination based on their accents. This bias disproportionately affects individuals from working-class backgrounds, regional communities, and ethnic minorities, limiting their career progression and social mobility. The personal and professional lives of these individuals are deeply affected. Employers, educators, and public institutions must be held accountable for treating people fairly, regardless of how they speak.
Accent is more than just speech—it is a key part of identity, heritage, and cultural diversity. No one should feel pressured to change their voice to be respected or taken seriously. In professional and social settings, accent discrimination reinforces damaging stereotypes and restricts opportunities for countless individuals.
The change we want to see: We urge the UK Government to:
- Recognise accent discrimination as a legitimate issue affecting thousands of people.
- Amend the Equality Act 2010 to include accent as a protected characteristic. This process involves presenting the issue to the Parliament, discussing it in relevant committees, and finally voting on the amendment. It's a crucial step towards ensuring equal rights for all.
- Promote awareness and enforce fair treatment in workplaces, education, and public institutions.
By signing this petition, you support fairness, diversity, and equal opportunity. Together, we can end accent discrimination and create a more inclusive society where everyone is valued for their skills and character—not their voice.
Sign and share to support this change!
Click the links below to gain more insights into the lived experiences and impact of accent bias.
https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/08/10618186/accent-discrimination-class-system-uk
https://www.vice.com/en/article/accent-bias-job-discrimination-uk/
https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/08/phd-student-killed-mocked-not-posh-enough-12022264/
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-student-feels-change-accent-28972978
People mocked and criticised for their accents throughout their lives – report
About Us Protect Accent Campaign
We are a UK-based organisation that spotlights accent-focused discrimination to enable the empowerment of authentic voices through awareness-raising, education, and training.
Our mission is to empower every voice, regardless of accent, through education and by promoting evidence-based accent-inclusive policies and procedures that support and empower authentic voices at all levels and in all forms of organisational communication and eliminate accent discrimination in communication systems and technologies.
We aim to eliminate accent-focused biases, stereotypes, labelling, and discrimination. By doing so, we are committed to promoting a more inclusive and accepting organisational culture. We foster positive behavioural changes among team members through education, creating a more harmonious and respectful work environment. Our goal is to provide the empirical evidence necessary for driving change, enabling organisations to represent all sections of society and customers. Effective communication is crucial for problem-solving, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. Therefore, we are dedicated to promoting clarity of speech and accent inclusion and acceptance.
WHAT WE DO
Training - Protect Accent is delighted to share its unique expertise in accent bias to assist organisations in fostering and modelling accent-inclusive communication excellence. Our one-of-a-kind Accent Bias Training Course is designed to help organisations achieve this goal. For more details, please reach out to us at info@protectaccent.com.
Conferences - The Protect Accent International Conference is an annual event.
Seminars - We organise various workshops on related topics throughout the year.
Public Speaking Engagements - Contact us if you want to wish us at your public or in-house event.
Contact us:
Website: www.protectaccent.com
Email: info@protectaccent.com
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The Issue
Petition Summary: Accent discrimination is an overlooked but deeply ingrained form of bias in the UK. People are unfairly judged, denied job opportunities, and treated with prejudice simply because of the way they speak. This is an unacceptable barrier to equality and must be urgently addressed by law. We call on the UK Parliament to amend the Equality Act 2010 to include accent as a protected characteristic, providing the necessary legal protection.
Why This Is Important: The Protect Accent organisation has worked tirelessly for years to raise awareness of accent discrimination and its intersectional impact on other areas of discrimination, such as socio-economic class, race, etc., for many years. Studies such as the one conducted by the Sutton Trust in 2022 found that 25% of adults in the UK have experienced discrimination based on their accents. This bias disproportionately affects individuals from working-class backgrounds, regional communities, and ethnic minorities, limiting their career progression and social mobility. The personal and professional lives of these individuals are deeply affected. Employers, educators, and public institutions must be held accountable for treating people fairly, regardless of how they speak.
Accent is more than just speech—it is a key part of identity, heritage, and cultural diversity. No one should feel pressured to change their voice to be respected or taken seriously. In professional and social settings, accent discrimination reinforces damaging stereotypes and restricts opportunities for countless individuals.
The change we want to see: We urge the UK Government to:
- Recognise accent discrimination as a legitimate issue affecting thousands of people.
- Amend the Equality Act 2010 to include accent as a protected characteristic. This process involves presenting the issue to the Parliament, discussing it in relevant committees, and finally voting on the amendment. It's a crucial step towards ensuring equal rights for all.
- Promote awareness and enforce fair treatment in workplaces, education, and public institutions.
By signing this petition, you support fairness, diversity, and equal opportunity. Together, we can end accent discrimination and create a more inclusive society where everyone is valued for their skills and character—not their voice.
Sign and share to support this change!
Click the links below to gain more insights into the lived experiences and impact of accent bias.
https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/08/10618186/accent-discrimination-class-system-uk
https://www.vice.com/en/article/accent-bias-job-discrimination-uk/
https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/08/phd-student-killed-mocked-not-posh-enough-12022264/
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-student-feels-change-accent-28972978
People mocked and criticised for their accents throughout their lives – report
About Us Protect Accent Campaign
We are a UK-based organisation that spotlights accent-focused discrimination to enable the empowerment of authentic voices through awareness-raising, education, and training.
Our mission is to empower every voice, regardless of accent, through education and by promoting evidence-based accent-inclusive policies and procedures that support and empower authentic voices at all levels and in all forms of organisational communication and eliminate accent discrimination in communication systems and technologies.
We aim to eliminate accent-focused biases, stereotypes, labelling, and discrimination. By doing so, we are committed to promoting a more inclusive and accepting organisational culture. We foster positive behavioural changes among team members through education, creating a more harmonious and respectful work environment. Our goal is to provide the empirical evidence necessary for driving change, enabling organisations to represent all sections of society and customers. Effective communication is crucial for problem-solving, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. Therefore, we are dedicated to promoting clarity of speech and accent inclusion and acceptance.
WHAT WE DO
Training - Protect Accent is delighted to share its unique expertise in accent bias to assist organisations in fostering and modelling accent-inclusive communication excellence. Our one-of-a-kind Accent Bias Training Course is designed to help organisations achieve this goal. For more details, please reach out to us at info@protectaccent.com.
Conferences - The Protect Accent International Conference is an annual event.
Seminars - We organise various workshops on related topics throughout the year.
Public Speaking Engagements - Contact us if you want to wish us at your public or in-house event.
Contact us:
Website: www.protectaccent.com
Email: info@protectaccent.com
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Petition created on 31 January 2025