A template note you can use when accepting to speak at a conference

Here's a little note you can add when accepting an opportunity to speak at a conference:

Why is this important? Diversity at events seems to have taken a knock. Progress in recent years have been made, but more recently I've been noticing not very diverse line ups. As speakers we may feel it is out of our control to make a difference, but I believe we can by using it as part of our acceptance process. Don't wait until you see the full line up, know with confidence that the events you speak at are more likely to have a diverse lineup if you make the statement up front.

Tweak it. I'd encourage you to also tweak it to what feels important for you. 

For example, diversity can happen over time too. So one thing to keep an eye out for is encourage fresh voices to come in, rather than seeing the same names, year on year.

Also, diversity can be about diverse ideas. We may feel it is important that topics represented bring variety and inspiration.

And of course, remember, diversity is not just a visible attribute. It can apply to things that are less visible. Invisible disabilities, sexual orientations, or age.