News & opinion

Stonewall 50: Where next for LGBTQ+ lives?

30 January 2020

On the occasion of the 50 years of the Stonewall Riots in New York City, the Thomson Reuters Foundation created a documentary video highlighting the battles and struggles of the LGBT community through the years.

For this year’s LGBT History Month, RICS is hosting an event where we will have a movie screening (30min) followed by Q&A with Hugo Greenhalgh, LGBT+ Editor at Thomson Reuters Foundation. This month inspires us to discuss equality and diversity and to raise awareness about the lives and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in their professions, and this documentary will give us a great opportunity to start the conversations in an open and diverse group.

“Understanding the journey of our predecessors who fought for more rights and inclusion is the first step to build stronger and diverse societies and workplaces. Knowing our history will empower us to celebrate lives of LGBT people and promote new platforms where they can thrive”

Gus Bussmann

Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, RICS

Joe Galliano from the Queer Britain Museum will also join for some insightful contributions about the LGBT history and learnings from the past. (link to the article). Joe is currently leading a project that dedicates a space to preserve, explore and celebrate queer people in the UK.

Following RICS’s commitment to tackle barriers and encourage a more diverse profession, we invite everyone to join us to engage in a conversation with Hugo, Joe and other professionals to learn, share and build allyship.

When: 27 February 2020, 6:30 pm

Where: London: RICS Headquarters, 12 George Street, Westminster
Birmingham: 55 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2AA
Edinburgh: 3Rd Floor, 125 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 4AD

Limited places, so please confirm attendance via diversitymatters@rics.org

Having the modern fight for inclusion and rights started only 50 years ago, it is important to take the opportunity of the History Month to reflect on our achievements and push for better conditions in our profession. The surveying profession needs a diverse workforce in order to utilise the innovative skills and technologies required by customers, and RICS is a proud supporter of all expressions of gender and sexuality so they can bring their whole selves to work and excel in their careers.

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