Ten years ago, the LGBTQ+ community won a decisive victory for marriage equality nationwide.
The moment capped a decade of profound change in the United States that began with the election of the first black president, Barack Obama. His famous campaign slogan, “Yes We Can,” became a watchword for many marginalized groups in the country who believed that centuries of dreams and sacrifices were finally coming to fruition.
But today, 2015 feels like a fever dream, as the LGBTQ+ community faces the possibility of losing marriage equality nationwide, among other protections at the federal and state levels. Those who can afford it are already leaving their communities for calmer landscapes at home and abroad, fearing that the lives they have built will become unsustainable.
mary mancera
In a recent conversation with Inman, LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance interim CEO Mary Mancera said her organization is on the front lines, leveraging its network and expertise to help the gay community make housing options and stay safe without losing hope for a brighter future.
“The most obvious thing for the LGBTQ+ community is that we expected it not to be easy,” she said. “But certainly in the first half of this year, I don’t think we anticipated the onslaught of targeted attacks, anti-LGBTQ legislation, rhetoric, etc.”
“We had to have a lot of conversations with our members because there was so much concern about where this was going and what it meant,” she added. “So this is kind of like a canvas for what it was like for the first half of this year.”
Mancera said fears are fading as the LGBTQ+ community focuses on “small victories” that prove there are lawmakers and voters who still care about maintaining equality for all. “I think it gives people hope,” she said.
Inman: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. What moments or trends defined 2025 for you?
Mancera: Our members were in a state of fear all the way through the beginning of the second quarter, and we didn’t know how to honestly react to everything that was dominating the news cycle, what was being said in Washington, and how that was going to impact policies targeted at our communities. As an organization, we needed to set expectations accurately. We are not civil rights people. We value housing for all, fair housing, and a homeownership experience free of discrimination.
But if I had to pick just one thing from an event perspective, it would be this. [the National Association of Realtors’] The decision to review and amend Article 10 of the Code of Ethics and withdraw some of the definitions of harassment. And our attitude towards it is very simple and clear. You can’t be one person in some parts of your life and not in others. You cannot work with prejudice during off-hours and serve customers fairly.
We had a number of conversations with members about it, and we actually co-hosted a town hall forum with NAR after the new definition was approved by the NAR Board of Directors. that [town hall] was trying to plan for members how the revised rules would be applied. We responded to questions, some of which were quite demanding. I don’t think anyone gave up on NAR because we are probably one of the most discriminated minority groups in NAR membership.
At last count, I believe 79 percent of LGBTQ+ people have experienced some form of discrimination based on their identity. So it’s a very serious concern.
Earlier this year, the Alliance published a mobility guide for transgender and gender expansive (i.e., people who do not identify with traditional gender roles or are not limited to the narratives and experiences of one gender) for those who do not feel safe in their state or even this country.
What do you make of people’s emotions right now? Do you think fear is just as big? Or has it calmed down a bit now that we’re in the middle of it and know what we’re fully dealing with?
That’s a good question. I’ve been hearing this phrase a lot lately. The real currency today is attention, right? In other words, it’s the attention economy. Depending on what the administration is doing, it will go down or change direction. I think the important thing about fear is how much you allow it to control you on a daily basis, and how you react.
And if you look, they’re not doing everything they threatened. Now, some important actions have been taken that will have a big impact on us. On the housing front, the government is diluting laws and regulations that have been in place for decades, and the erosion of those protections is very real and very visible. These will affect us throughout the course of this administration.
But there have been a few wins here and there that make this feel like this is short-term rather than long-term, and I think that’s giving people hope.
I think the most important thing in business is what the housing economy will look like next year. Will it stay the same? Because just like NAR members, our members need to be able to do business.
When I talked about short-term and long-term, I was reminded not only of real estate cycles, but also of historical cycles. I love finding parallels with historical content. I think it helps put a lot of current events into perspective. In business and advocacy, what do you think we can learn from the past that we can apply today?
Booms and busts were a regular phenomenon, and in every recession there were people who prospered. And if there’s any silver lining, it’s that every cycle brings opportunities and new possibilities.
We are a nation of innovators, and nowhere is this more evident than in the real estate industry, where every technology is being leveraged and a variety of disruptive models are being presented. I mean, look at Facebook. This didn’t exist 20 years ago and has revolutionized the way people connect.
So, as with anything, Marian, is the glass half full or half empty? In every market cycle, there are successful people and innovators who find new ways of doing things and thereby inspire other ideas. So does the housing industry need to be reinvented? Yes. There’s a lack of affordability, there’s a lack of inventory, there’s a lack of the kind of housing that you and the young people beyond you would want.
Time is running out, so let’s look forward to 2026. When you think about next year, what’s the best-case scenario?
I am taking inspiration from some of our sister LGBTQ+ organizations who have focused solely on the power of purpose and focus. Let me paraphrase a quote from my favorite Maya Angelou: It is very difficult to hate someone when you can look them in the eye and recognize them as a human being.
At the end of 2020, I would like to see the LGBTQ+ real estate alliance persevere and address the challenges that I fully expect the administration will continue to press upon us. We work with other LGBTQ+ partners to advocate for fair housing and non-discriminatory housing experiences for members of our community. And these things don’t happen overnight. Therefore, we must remain positive and look beyond the difficulties.
That’s how we endure.
Email Marian McPherson
