Welcome to VERCIDA website.

Skip to main content
Enable Recite to make this website accessible

DVSA’s Alex Morris: My LGBT hero

Category: LGBTQIA+ (Sexual Orientation)

DVSA’s Alex Morris: My LGBT hero

As part of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month, Alex Morris, a Driving Examiner at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, tells us about his LGBT hero.

I enjoy my work as a Driving Examiner and I’m a proud member of Social Network Group (SNG) Pride. As a gay man living in today’s society, I have little experience with the type of prejudice or bullying that took place or that was felt by my peers.

I feel passionately about the struggles and battles that were experienced in the last 50 years since 1967, when The Sexual Offences Act decriminalised homosexual acts between two men over 21 years of age in private in England and Wales. This was 10 years after the report of the Department Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (better known as the Wolfenden report, after Lord Wolfenden) was published. The report advised the British government that homosexuality shouldn’t be illegal.

My LGBT hero is someone who’s been an activist for LGBT rights for many years and has spoken on many subjects that have bettered today’s society. My LGBT hero is Sir Ian Mckellen, a patron of LGBT month, which in the UK occurs in February to coincide with a major celebration of the 2003 abolition of section 28.

Sir Ian is a co-founding member of Stonewall with Lisa Power MBE and Michael Cashman CBE. Stonewall was formed in 1989 by political activists and others lobbying against section 28 of the Local Government Act. Section 28 proposed prohibiting local authorities from promoting homosexuality.

Sir Ian became active in fighting this proposed law and this prompted him to ‘come out’ live on BBC radio in an interview in 1988 at the age of 49.

Sir Ian said:

“In the 50s and 60s the life of a gay man was a secret. Homosexuality was illegal so you didn’t draw attention to yourself, but coming out is the best thing I ever did and I’ve never met a gay person who didn’t think the same”.

Today there are laws and rights that help provide security for LGBT people, but I always think about the fight that people like Sir Ian and others have had to endure in order to have the freedom that we have and that society as a whole now experiences.

This, amongst other reasons, is why I’ve declared my sexuality with DVSA to help reflect the LGBT declaration rates within the workforce.

Are you interested in a career with DVSA? Please click here.

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information.

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.

Vercida logo

VERCIDA works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with VERCIDA to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please email [email protected] for more information.

Government, Politics, EU

Thank you for registering on VERCIDA - the leading job site for companies that are passionate about diversity and inclusion.

  • Check out our client profiles to get the latest on their DE&I credentials
  • Look out for client benefits next to all our job specs
  • Sign up for job alerts to keep up to date on new roles as they come in
  • Search 1000s of roles from the biggest brands

Please proceed to the next step. If you are unable to complete the next stage of application please use the contact form HERE.

You will receive an email with link to reset your password.

Enter your new password