July 2026 – Communications Collective Director Genevieve Brannigan sat down with Riverlee’s Billy Patten, co-founder of Queers in Property, to explore the power of visibility, authentic leadership and what meaningful allyship looks like in the built environment.
Despite growing awareness around diversity and inclusion, almost four in 10 LGBTQIA+ employees are still not out at work, according to the latest Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI). The research also found that employees who feel safe to be themselves experience stronger wellbeing, greater belonging and better mental health, highlighting the powerful role leaders and allies play in creating psychologically safe workplaces.
These themes were front and centre at the Property Council of Australia’s DEI Luncheon, where Billy shared their personal story alongside the remarkable growth of Queers in Property—a movement that has reshaped conversations around inclusion across the property, construction and design industries.
Founded in 2018, Queers in Property has grown from three people seeking connection to an independent network of more than 1,500 members across Victoria and New South Wales. Built on the pillars of visibility, empowerment and professional support, the organisation is helping create a built environment where people feel they can bring their whole selves to work.
Genevieve speaks with Billy about the evolution of Queers in Property, the power of authentic leadership and why creating space for others doesn’t just change individual lives – it strengthens organisations, teams and the industry.
Tell us how Queers in Property began?
It started back in 2018 when the three of us – me, Rossco from Studio White Noise and our other co-founder Ben Rowe from Riverlee – got together. We bonded over a few spicy margaritas and realised we’d all had exactly the same experience: hiding parts of ourselves to fit in and not really seeing anyone like us in the industry.
That conversation sparked what became a queer movement to challenge the heteronormative constructs of property and construction and go and find our community.
We chose the name Queers in Property deliberately. We wanted to be as visible as possible and reclaim a word that had once been used as a slur against us. Queer is now one of the most widely used umbrella terms for the LGBTQIA+ community
We started with three people. Then we found 15 sitting around the Riverlee boardroom table. Today there are more than 1,500 of us across Victoria and New South Wales.
What has surprised you most about the growth of the community?
We call ourselves queerleaders and champions of change within the industry – whether you’re LGBTQIA+ or an ally. We’ve run almost 120 events, welcomed more than 2,000 attendees last year alone and, together with Property Unites – which unites Women in Property, Queers in Property, and Men in Property – raised more than $730,000 for charity.
But all of this, the community, bringing people together, finally finding everyone, it had a really profound impact on me. Because for the first time, I had visible leaders.
You spoke openly about your own journey. Why was visibility so important?
When I first started in this industry, I had no visible queerleaders. The closest thing I had was the Women in Property network. They took me under their wing and I’m forever grateful for their friendship and mentorship.
I was this young person from Cairns, already riddled with queer shame from growing up in Far North Queensland, navigating corporate life in the big city.
There was no queer version of success I could see, so I emulated what was in front of me. I covered up who I was because that felt like the price of a seat at the table.
When we founded Queers in Property, I suddenly had people to learn from. That’s when all the unravelling started. I got to dismantle the façade I’d created. The visibility and the bravery of our community fundamentally changed my whole life and leadership trajectory. Seeing people like me gave me permission to show up as myself.
You said authenticity benefits both individuals and businesses. Why?
Work is where we spend five days a week. Your work persona becomes the version of yourself that you lead with. Over time, it becomes how you see your own value.
When that persona is a performance, it costs you something. It also costs the business because you’re not getting the best out of someone who’s spending energy hiding.
So I set out on this big mission to become who I actually am. I transitioned from female to non-binary, changed my name and did all of that while still showing up to work every day. It was scary because I wasn’t sure if I’d be accepted.
What does meaningful allyship look like?
The visibility of queer people alone isn’t enough. There must be action from workplaces and allies.
What made the difference for me wasn’t just seeing other queer people. It was the allies around me who created the conditions for me to show up as my authentic self.
Sometimes you don’t want to fight your way to the table. Sometimes it would just be nice to be invited. That’s what allyship does. It pulls out a chair.
Can you share the story behind changing your name at work?
I could only ever bring myself to talk about changing my name at work drinks. Then Monday would come around and it would feel too big, too scary
Then one day our office manager, Marley, simply called me Billy. That was it. She’d been listening, and she acted.
That became my trigger. I thought: everything is fine. I’m doing this now. The whole Riverlee team made me feel comfortable throughout my journey. They were curious, they wanted to learn and, because the environment felt safe, I wanted to share.
What advice would you give organisations that want to create more inclusive workplaces?
Start small. Add pronouns to email signatures. Learn the basics of gender and sexuality. Celebrate important dates. Review your policies for inclusive language. Partner with an LGBTQIA+ organisation like Queers in Property.
The important thing is to move from intention to action. Our Victorian DEI Policies Guide and Toolkit, led by our Victorian Committee Member Clare Acheson, gives organisations a practical pathway to embedding policies and support systems that help LGBTQIA+ employees thrive.
What do you hope people take away from your story?
One person. One moment. Listening. That’s what changed my life, and it’s available to everyone. You don’t need to get allyship perfect. You just need to use whatever position you hold to create the space someone like me needed when I was starting out.
Collectivity Talks | three takeaways
Visibility creates possibility
Representation gives people permission to bring their whole selves to work.
Allyship is action
Inclusion is about listening, learning and creating space for others.
Authenticity benefits everyone
When people no longer have to hide who they are, individuals, teams and organisations all perform better.
Billy Patten (they/them) is Impact and Marketing Manager at Riverlee and co-founder of Queers in Property, an independent network supporting LGBTQIA+ professionals across Australia’s property, construction and design industries. Billy is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and has helped grow Queers in Property into one of the industry’s leading professional networks.
