EG’s LGBT Special: Co-inciding with London Pride 2015.
Life as a trans woman in property
“They would look for Tony and of course I was there as Antonia. I’d say, ‘hi, have a seat. I have something to tell you…”
What does it feel like to tell your colleagues that you can no longer be the man they thought they knew? Building surveyor Antonia Belcher talks about life as a trans woman in property.
LISTEN
Diversity is not a threat, but an opportunity
In cosmopolitan, metropolitan London, you expect people to be able to be themselves in a working environment. But as we know, some of the firms in our sector are somewhat dominated by a particular culture, a particular macho culture.
Shaftesbury chief executive, Brian Bickell, writes an opinion piece in this week’s magazine.
EG RADIO: As Estates Gazette launches its first LGBT Special to co-incide with London Pride, Real Talk with James Max caught up with Shaftesbury boss and Freehold board member Brian Bickell to talk about the importance of diversity in the property industry.
Click below to listen to the interview.
WATCH
Property marches in London Pride 2015
Estates Gazette joined LGBT property networking group Freehold and JLL’s Building Pride group for the march through central London in this year’s Pride. Click on the video below for highlights from the day.
Taking pride in EG’s LGBT special issue
BBC Radio 4’s Paddy O’Connell comments for EG.
Congratulations on bursting into print and online with this LGBT edition. Of course, by far and away most readers of Estates Gazette are heterosexual. And I bet that most people who work on it are also. So, I would like to suggest that’s exactly what should make both the magazine and its readers so proud of this LGBT special.
MORE COMMENT FROM OUR LGBT SPECIAL
• Residential Land’s Emma Whitby-Smith: Nobody wants to be seen as token
• Stonewall’s Matteo Lissana: Diversity equals real prosperity in the workplace
Outside Contender
Ivan Massow is gay, a former alcoholic and lover of exotic pets, overseas investment and commercial property.
He talks about what he would offer the UK’s capital as London’s first out and proud mayor.
Freehold: it’s good to talk
It’s almost four years since Freehold, the property industry’s LGBT networking forum, was established. Co-founders David Mann and Saleem Fazal talk about the gay networking and support group.
URBAN REGENERATION
From the deep fuchsia of Brighton and Manchester through to the pale lilac of Chester and York, some towns and cities have become centres for the UK’s gay and lesbian population.
The roll call for defunct gay venues in London gets longer every month. Why are the city’s gay bars closing?
BRIGHTON’S ALTERNATIVE INFLUENCE
Whoever dubbed Brighton ‘the queen of the coast’ had amazing foresight.
LGBT property: Loud and proud
The real estate industry has not traditionally been associated with gay-friendly employment. But times are finally changing, as more companies fly the flag for LGBT rights, recruitment and retention.
BRIEFING: Industry falls behind on LGBT issues
There is still room for improvement when it comes to the property industry’s performance in tackling LGBT issues in the workplace. Property has fallen behind other industries in tackling lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in the workplace, writes Nadia Elghamry.
GALLERY
Click on the image below to view a gallery of key photos by photographer Will Bremridge for EG’s LGBT edition
