Legal profession celebrates LGBT History Month

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Legal profession celebrates LGBT History Month

On 1 February 2022, solicitors in England and Wales celebrated LGBT History Month by participating in events across the country to raise public awareness of LGBT+ people and their history.

“LGBT History Month is a great time for colleagues to celebrate progress towards widening LGBT+ diversity and inclusion in their workplace and take stock of what more can be done,” said Law Society of England and Wales president I. Stephanie Boyce.

The Law Society has been gathering data on the experiences of our LGBT+ colleagues and, in 2021, published landmark research which showed we have seen a significant change in attitudes to LGBT+ equality and visibility in the profession in the last decade.

“A higher proportion of respondents reported positive, rather than negative, experiences in the workplace, as a result of their LGBT+ identity.

“The majority of respondents said they were able to be their authentic selves, working in organisations with inclusive cultures, alongside support from colleagues and senior staff.

“The experiences of our LGBT+ colleagues were brought to light – including coming out to colleagues or clients, experiences of microaggressions and the support from allies.

“There is, however, still work to be done. Incidents of homophobia, biphobia or transphobia often went unreported, with some lacking confidence that the issue would be resolved effectively while others said the behaviours weren’t serious enough to report formally. “We encourage our members to read this research so they can use the insights to make a positive change to their working practices.” ■