This November marks the 20th anniversary of the cessation of Section 28. Introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s Government in 1988, the legislation saw a series of laws rolled out across Britain that prohibited the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ by local authorities.
Fast forward to 2023, the tide has largely turned and we are continuing to see the LGBTQ+ community championed by both people and places.
This, however, has been a relatively slow process and it is only now in the 21st Century that we have seen the real estate industry fully embrace diversity and inclusion. Perhaps most significantly for those in property was the creation of the networking body Freehold in 2011. It has since grown to become one of the leading voices of the LGBTQ+ community for property professionals.
It is groups like this and others such as Planning Out and Building Equality that have successfully advocated for community representation within the industry. They have provided platforms for networking, for mentorship and for lobbying, as well as a means through which visible role models have been able to pave the way for future generations.
We have also seen greater recognition of queer spaces. For example, in 2016 Historic England launched Pride of Place, which uncovers and celebrates places of LGBTQ+ heritage across England, ranging from the frontiers of Roman Britain to the gay pubs and clubs. This brought together social and architectural historians with urban planners, with the aim of harnessing public engagement in order to create a permanent record of these places.
This coincided with the listing of the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, South London’s oldest surviving gay venue, as a Grade II building and a place of cultural significance on the advice of the public body.
Building on this idea was the publication of a report by ARUP in 2021 called Queering Public Spaces. This gives an insight into the relationship between LGBTQ+ communities and places. This followed research from Galop and Stonewall that found that 50 per cent of people recognise that LGBTQ+ people change their behaviour out in public to avoid hostile targeting, while transgender people avoid certain areas altogether. The report ultimately calls for an urgent rethink of how towns and cities are designed, providing recommendations for how they can be made more inclusive for all.
Some of London’s major schemes have already started putting this into practice. Argent’s King’s Cross, for example, saw the opening of Queer Britain in 2022, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ history museum. Including, galleries, a workshop and education spaces it offers free entry as a way for visitors to discover the stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ people. Outside of London, we see the flourishing of cultural movements like Homotopia, a Liverpool-based arts and social justice organisation making a cultural impact within the city through art and activism
Ultimately, 2023 is a year for celebrating 20 years of progress. In the past two decades we have seen LGBTQ+ culture become a part of everyday life in a way that has positively impacted the built environment, both physically and culturally. We are now seeing diversity, inclusivity and social value rise up the place-shaping agenda, but it is with cautious optimism that we hope this will become a given rather than an exception to the rule.
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