Representation Policy

Our commitment

DRKNYT wants its imagery to make the visual record less false. The breadth of people, families, identities, relationships, communities, leadership, expertise, success, and ordinary life described here already exists.

We do not intend to invent a more diverse world. We intend to depict the world that is already here more truthfully while recognizing that imagery also shapes belonging, expectation, access, and power.

What this means

• We seek meaningful representation across race, ethnicity, culture, age, disability, body, gender expression, sexual orientation, family structure, faith expression, and economic context.
• We consider who is centered, who acts, who decides, who owns, who is safe, who receives care, and who is shown experiencing expertise, leadership, success, ease, and joy.
• We intentionally include people from historically marginalized communities in roles of power, ownership, expertise, authority, and aspiration.
• We seek to portray queer, trans, interracial, disabled, adoptive, blended, chosen, and multigenerational families with warmth and ordinariness.

Truth, respect, and accountability

We do not assign a protected identity to a real person based on appearance, clothing, companions, or context. We do not alter a real person's race, skin tone, gender presentation, disability, age, body, or relationship to manufacture diversity.

Countering systemic exclusion is part of DRKNYT's mission. We expect our practice to improve through listening, review, correction, and engagement with the communities depicted. Humility is not a reason for inaction, and mission is not a substitute for accountability.