India’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee host LGBTQ+ awareness session
LGBTQ+ has been a subject of discussion in India from ancient times to the modern day.
For example, it is one of several countries that recognise a third gender. Since time immemorial, transgender or Hijra people in India have been an important part of society and are considered to have the ability to bless.
However, mental, physical, emotional and economic hostility against the LGBTQ+ community in India prevails. Despite ancient Indian texts suggesting the acceptability of LGBTQ+, it has become a taboo topic in modern times and there is still residual tension.
In 2018, a historic judgement by the five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India decriminalised consensual same-sex relations. This has been a considerable victory for those who identify as LGBTQ+, who have been fighting for equal rights in India for many years.
As part of a monthly series, Buro Happold’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee in India organised an online LGBTQ+ awareness session at the end of 2020. This was the first time we had run a session on LGBTQ+ in the India offices and it was a great success. Interest was high – around a third of our India-based colleagues joined the call, even though it was held out of office hours.
During the session, guest speakers Lucy Miller and Vicky Thorburn from Buro Happold’s Global HR Team shared some valuable insights. We also watched a short film called Sisak – India’s first silent LGBTQ+ love story. This nuanced video sent a very powerful message about the struggles faced by those who identify as LGBTQ+ in India.
It was heartening to be part of the conversation that followed. The questions and comments showed that colleagues were very supportive and wished to be welcoming allies. Following the call, a number of colleagues joined Spectrum, Buro Happold’s global LGBTQ+ employee network group to continue the conversation.
This session has been followed by others that have focused on cultural diversity and volunteering. Again, we were delighted that colleagues were so open, willing to share their own experiences and to listen receptively to those of other people. Future sessions have been planned, focusing on women and generations.
Over the past year, Buro Happold has invited our communities to share their experiences so we could all listen and learn. We are grateful to our colleagues for their openness, and we are committed to using these insights to guide and shape our company. In the coming months, we’ll be publishing further information about what we are doing at company level – as well as further news about what our colleagues have been exploring at regional level.
