Video transcript: All Accents Welcome

Transcript for the All Accents Welcome video embedded on the All Accents Welcome page.

(The University of Leeds logo)

(Sprawling drone shots of the University of Leeds campus)

“Everyone has an accent - a way of speaking that reflects different aspects of our identities.”

Testimonials on the value of diverse accents

(Interview style shots of contributors intercut with footage taken around campus)

Contributor 1: My accent is an integral part of who I am. It's like my cultural identity, my roots. It reminds me of my upbringing, this Igbo girl from southeastern Nigeria.

Contributor 2: And it's also about sort of, you know, broadening your horizons. I mean, that's why I was so excited to come to university was the different people, the different places everyone's from.

Contributor 3: I realized that there's so much diversity around me and everybody speaks in a different way […] And now I value my accent so much […] It's a part of my journey, and it's a part of who I am, so I respect it a lot.

Contributor 4: Well, I think you learn that there's not one way, right or wrong to speak. I think you get a sense of different people's, to some extent way of seeing the world actually.

(A rising drone shot of the University of Leeds campus accompanies voiceover from students)

“We all have biases about people’s accents, often without realising it. We acquire these biases as we grow up and throughout adulthood. When left unchallenged, biases can lead to discrimination and inequalities.”

Testimonials on the impact of accent bias at university

Contributor 3: early on I felt that my opinions were not valued as much. For a month straight. I was I thought twice before speaking in class because I thought, okay, I would be mocked at just because the way I spoke.

Contributor 5: And this is a cycle that I've noticed, is that when I've started a job. And, and I'm new and my accent is in the minority […] As soon as I've spoken, people have made assumptions, and I can see, I feel it. It's an instinctive thing, and I think if it's happened to you, you know exactly what I mean.

Contributor 6: So they might have a lot of interest in what you're about to say. And then this, you can start seeing that they immediately start disconnecting with you the moment they start hearing your accent coming through. I mean I've had the experience where someone actually literally said to me, go and get a voice coach and, and change the way you talk. And I actually did go to a voice coach. And, uh, she worked with me and she said, okay, do a few trials. And then she came back and said, don't change yourself. The thing that stuck with me is being authentic and true to yourself is really important.

Contributor 2: I think academically sometimes I, I do feel an advantage because I think, a lot of people think I sound a bit posh and maybe take me a bit more seriously because of that, um, for better or for worse. And quite interestingly, I think socially there's sometimes a disadvantage for the same reason. Some people think I sound maybe a bit privileged but I think a lot of it is people mischaracterizing me. They jump to conclusions and don't really sort of let me tell 'em sort of how, how I really feel.

Contributor 1: In a time-based academic context, I've also like withdrawn from sometimes asking questions because I, I don't want to waste everybody's time when I unconsciously repeat myself. I found that I've stopped speaking out a lot in academic, um, seminars and stuff like that.

Contributor 4: Went for a job interview once where somebody said to me, you know, um, the, the boss doesn't really like people talking in that kind of accent, you know, so drop it as if it was, um, I dunno, something I just picked up off the street, you know […] but again, it just made me more determined than ever not to change the way that I spoke.

Animation – research

In the UK, 30% of university students and 25% of professionals report having their accent mocked or criticised in academic or workplace settings (Levon et al, 2022, Sutton Trust).
These forms of microaggression can:

damage confidence
reduce participation
and affect a person’s sense of belonging, and wellbeing.

(Tomé Lourido & Snell, 2025, HEPI Blog)

Animation: Call to action

Accent bias is rarely talked about. It’s time to change that.
Here is how you can make a difference:

Reflect on the assumptions you make based on people’s accents.
Listen respectfully and without judgement.
Speak up: If you witness or experience accent-based discrimination, report it via Report and Support.

“At the University of Leeds, we are committed to creating a community where all students and staff feel that they belong, can thrive and are valued. Respecting each other’s accent and language background is a vital part of that vision.”

Find out more on our Tackling accent bias at the University of Leeds page.