LAUSR

Do you consider diversity to be a ‘fluff’ word? That is what the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS) implied last month when it retweeted the view that ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ were ‘fluff’ words that stripped white people of their accountability for the ways they perpetuate racism. A bold and interesting take, perhaps, but also rather unhelpful – why make this topic even more difficult and tribal? However, the society is correct in its view that words matter. And also that words without action don’t count for much. So where does diversity sit within the UK’s veterinary profession? First of all, it is clear that the profession does not reflect the society it serves. According to RCVS data, it is 60 per cent female, 97 per cent white and 24 per cent privately educated – far higher …