Talk:Lighting design/Archives/2021
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Diversity within lighting design
@Wtshymanski: How is diversity within the field of lighting design specifically too broad for the article on lighting designers? The referenced article makes it clear that the disparities within lighting design are different than within other design disciplines. American Theatre is a reliable source cited within most theater articles and felt that the issue was specific enough to lighting design to call out. Also, the prominence of women, especially Jean Rosenthal, in formalizing the field in the first place feels like it should weigh in favor of including it in this article.
Would additional citations supporting specificity help? Or is there another article in which you feel is more appropriate? Thanks. Bruce (talk) 13:40, 27 December 2020 (UTC)
- Because it does very little to add to content about lighting design. One might as well add "diversity " sections to air traffic controllers, bankers, welders, or chefs articles - it's a general human issue, and there's nothing peculiarly unique in the lighting business about discrimination against women, minorities, or the differently abled. Paddding. --Wtshymanski (talk) 05:48, 30 December 2020 (UTC)
- @Wtshymanski: In that case, I think focusing on gender diversity within lighting design is still appropriate because there are three significant aspects that make it differ from discrimination as a general human issue. One is that a high percentage of the field's pioneers were women. A few examples: Jean Rosenthal is broadly seen as being the "First Lighting Designer"; Jennifer Tipton was one of the main creators of modern dance lighting and, as the master teacher at the Yale School of Drama for 39 years, has had a massive part in shaping the field's pedagogy; and Theron Musser brought computerized lighting to Broadway, which revolutionized artistic possibilities and had a major impact on labor relations/economics. Second is that lighting design has gotten less diverse over the past thirty years, while most other aspects of American life have either stayed the same or become more diverse. Third, the field as a whole is having a high profile discussion around the issue, with USA 829 (every prominent American lighting designer is a member of this union) starting up a committee to address the issue, multiple studies coming out, LORT theaters changing hiring policies, etc. All three argue in favor of mentioning the issue to help the lay reader understand both the specific history of the field and what is happening within the field today.
- I have also started working on a subsection tracing the history of the field. So perhaps discussing gender diversity within that context is the best way to incorporate the information? --Bruce (talk) 01:39, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
- It still sounds like an undue and lengthy digression for this article. --Wtshymanski (talk) 23:00, 2 January 2021 (UTC)
- @Wtshymanski: In that case, I think focusing on gender diversity within lighting design is still appropriate because there are three significant aspects that make it differ from discrimination as a general human issue. One is that a high percentage of the field's pioneers were women. A few examples: Jean Rosenthal is broadly seen as being the "First Lighting Designer"; Jennifer Tipton was one of the main creators of modern dance lighting and, as the master teacher at the Yale School of Drama for 39 years, has had a massive part in shaping the field's pedagogy; and Theron Musser brought computerized lighting to Broadway, which revolutionized artistic possibilities and had a major impact on labor relations/economics. Second is that lighting design has gotten less diverse over the past thirty years, while most other aspects of American life have either stayed the same or become more diverse. Third, the field as a whole is having a high profile discussion around the issue, with USA 829 (every prominent American lighting designer is a member of this union) starting up a committee to address the issue, multiple studies coming out, LORT theaters changing hiring policies, etc. All three argue in favor of mentioning the issue to help the lay reader understand both the specific history of the field and what is happening within the field today.