Reexamining the Conversation Surrounding Unconscious Bias and Discrimination in Real Estate By Joey Macari
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ccording to the second annual report published by the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, discrimination in the real estate industry remains prevalent—despite its extension of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) implementations and marketing toward the LGBTQ+ community. The Alliance, one of the nation’s leading LGBTQ+ trade organizations, aims to reexamine the conversation surrounding unconscious bias and discrimination in real estate, and serve as a much-needed voice and valued resource for working real estate professionals. Titled “Discrimination And Its Impact On LGBTQ+ Community: Real Estate Professionals And Consumers,” the report includes data reflecting that “20.7% of surveyed Alliance members identify real estate agents 58 June 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE
as the leading culprit in how housing discrimination occurs against the LGBTQ+ real estate homebuyer.” Surveyed Alliance members were asked to weigh in on anti-discriminatory policy as it relates to their community versus company culture—with nearly 20% of respondents sharing that they experience high levels of unconscious bias within their local real estate market, almost double the 11% who report this about their own company. Drilling down further, 17% of re-
spondents noted an incident of discrimination by industry professionals, while 6% cited discriminatory behavior among their colleagues. Alliance CEO, Ryan Weyandt, who has been at the forefront of the nonprofit’s overall mission to educate and empower LGBTQ+ real estate professionals and its clientele since 2020, spoke with RISMedia on why the disparity between company and industry-level discrimination paints a bigger picture of how DEI efforts shape change. “Most instances of discrimination are based on pre-conceived notions, being uncomfortable or having a general fear of others,” he says. “It makes sense that LGBTQ+ people are more welcomed at the company level because their colleagues get
