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For anyone growing up in the UK in the late 1980s and 90s, it was hard not to be aware of Section 28. This malicious piece of legislation threatened educators, social care providers, and other Local Authority staff with prosecution if they did anything seen to promote homosexuality. Despite being repealed 20 years ago this year in England and Wales, its impact was felt for years after, as those questioning their sexuality felt their very identity invalidated by a wall of ignorance that took years to shake off. It was only in my mid-teens that my school was finally empowered to have honest conversations with students in its care to offer everyone equitable and relevant teaching in sexual health and relationships.
Much progress has been made in recent years, and those growing up now have many authentic and validating examples of LGBTQ+ people thriving within a diverse and inclusive society, such as the harrowing “It’s a Sin” looking at the emotional and societal impact of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and the charming “Heartstopper” following the journey of school age self-discovery and the challenges teenagers face trying to be their true selves. TV shows like these have also taken the opportunity to ensure authentic representation of the identities portrayed on screen. This matters because it brings sincerity to the performances that anyone in the LGBTQ+ community can’t fail to resonate with and feel validated by our shared experiences.
Within professional communities, there are outstanding examples of employee networks, such as Network Rail’s Archway and Rolls Royce’s Prism and industry-wide networks, such as InterEngineering and Pride in STEM. These provide future and current engineers across many sectors with a forum to meet and share challenges and experiences, a collective voice to champion change, and most importantly sign-post safe spaces to feel welcome. You can and do feel confident bringing your whole self to work. The IMechE has its own ED&I programme with internal and outward-looking ambitions, and all members should be aware of the goals of this vital programme of education and cultural change.
Sadly, you will be hard-pressed to notice regressive policies and vitriolic narratives gaining a share of voice in countries across the globe. Uganda has recently introduced the death penalty for being a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Many trans people (those identifying as a different gender than that assigned to them at birth) are denied the basic dignity of using a bathroom they feel comfortable in or are forced to accept the stigma of their trans identity as a mental health disorder. This is not how it should be.
Recognising that most of the population in the UK and around the world do not identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, you may have reached this point in my article and be wondering where you come in. Put simply, you can be an ally. You do not have to be a woman to advocate for women’s rights; the Suffragettes knew this. You do not have to be a minority ethnicity or race to advocate for societal equity for the communities wherever you live; just look at the outpouring of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. You don’t need to identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and other identities) to advocate for their rights; many LGBTQ+ networks actively encourage allies from the wider community to join and learn more about how you can lend your support and your voice.
This Pride month, 20 years after Section 28 was repealed, I challenge you to find a way to be an active ally. In your professional roles across the world, your voice holds far more power than you might appreciate. Engage in the discussions, listen curiously, and be ready to learn. Now more than ever, the engineering profession can and should be a champion of inclusive and progressive action that betters society. Let us be human and support one another closely and with compassion as we collectively seek to improve the world through engineering.
Find out more about our Diversity and Inclusion strategy