Transgender Day of Visibility: In Conversation with Jamie Lowe
Authored by Dr Beth Charlton
This year, as we approach the anniversary of the UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of gender in the Equality Act, marking Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) feels more imperative than ever. In the year since the ruling, we have witnessed the sustained roll back of trans rights across the globe, seeing the removal of legal protections threaten the security, safety and wellbeing of many in the UK and beyond. With anti-trans political discourse and transphobic rhetoric oftentimes dominating, this TDOV we’re seeking to recentre the conversation by raising the voices and lived experiences of the trans community. At a time where politicians and decision makers are routinely implementing changes, removing rights and imposing laws without consulting the very people they impact, amplifying and listening to the voices of the trans+ community is paramount. With external forces, rhetoric and discourse making day-to-day life increasingly difficult for the trans+ community, it has never been more critical that workplaces and organisations show up to ensure their trans+ talent feel supported, safe and able to bring their authentic selves to work.
This Trans Day of Visibility, we’re delighted to share our conversation with the wonderful Jamie Lowe. Jamie is a trans and non-binary financial adviser and director of True Self Wealth Ltd. He specialises in providing tailored financial advice to the LGBTQ+ community, working with a variety of people, companies and charities. Jamie was named amongst our Top 50 Gamechangers in 2023, and our Top 10 Trans and Non-Binary Role Models in 2023 and 2024 for the vital role he has played in promoting trans inclusion in financial services. Outside of their day job, Jamie runs Trans Support Hub CIC, hosting events for people to explore and express their gender identity. When we met, Jamie shared his own experiences and career journey, talking all things trans representation, education, role models and the need for leadership‑driven, year‑round workplace inclusion that goes beyond tokenistic gestures.
Role Models, Visibility and Finding Community
As Jamie has been recognised as an LGBT Great role model, providing crucial representation for trans and nonbinary folks in financial services, I asked him if there were any role models he had looked to during his career. His response underlined the lacking visibility of trans people in this space.
Greater representation of trans professionals in financial advice is still needed. The lack of openly out people presents a real challenge. Although I know others exist, when I first sought representation, it felt like there was no one visible in the same position. As a result, I struggled to find role models or sources of inspiration within the profession.
Whilst struggling to find trans representation amongst his peers or within his own industry, Jamie spoke of the power of external networking and inter-organisational and cross-sector opportunities for forming connections, building community and finding the representation that they didn’t see in the world of financial planning.
Connecting with people from different professional backgrounds has been invaluable, both in building a network and forming meaningful friendships. Many of those in my circle aren’t financial planners, but work in other areas like creative industries, often in self-employed roles. While we don’t share all of the same challenges, and they’re not people I’d turn to for anything related to financial advice, there remains a strong sense of common ground and mutual understanding.
With representation and visibility often lacking in many organisations, the building of an external network and finding role models beyond one’s workplace enables LGBTQ+ people to nevertheless find affirmation, validation and belonging. As Jamie explained, whilst individuals may be facing different obstacles within their own workplace contexts which external peers may be unable to provide technical guidance or solutions to, having a support network made up of people who have had similar life experiences and/or share an identity position, is undoubtedly valuable. Jamie's experience is resonant with sentiment from our membership community which especially values our cross-organisational mentorship offering. Our mentoring programme has been used by nearly 500 people across more than 100 organisations with benefits such as skill development, learning opportunities and career progression. Its uniqueness stems from a tailored matching system that allows LGBTQ+ talent and allies to engage in a psychologically safe environment which caters to their mentorship priorities.
Trans & Non-Binary Inclusion Through Representation
When discussing their experiences of the workplace, Jamie noted that the environment for the LGBTQ+ community differed drastically from organisation to organisation, explaining that although it ‘might be the same industry…its worlds apart depending on [the] company’. As Jamie spoke of his experiences in the different organisations he’d been a part of, it became clear that just as experience differed across workplaces, so too did experience differ across the LGBTQ+ community. He explained that whilst there was general understanding and awareness regarding lesbian and gay inclusion amongst the colleagues he had worked with in the past, when it came to understanding around trans and gender diverse inclusion, knowledge and awareness was drastically lacking in comparison.
Conversations around gender have emerged much later than those around sexuality, and financial services has not fully caught up. Historically, “LGBTQ+ friendly” has often been understood as meaning inclusive of same-sex couples, with limited recognition or discussion of gender identity.
Jamie explained that whilst the lack of awareness, knowledge and education surrounding gender variance and diversity is certainly a problem within the financial services industry, it is also a larger symptom of the lacking representation of trans people that exists in wider society.
I think one of the key differences between conversations around sexuality and gender is visibility. With sexuality, there has been a gradual increase in representation over time, including in mainstream media. I remember when moments like a first same-sex kiss on television were considered significant milestones. When it comes to gender, however, the understanding is far less developed. People often think in very binary terms, and even where there is awareness of transition, it is frequently simplified into moving from one category to another. As a result, there is little space for non-binary identities or for recognising that someone’s history may not fit neatly into those categories.
With trans representation often limited in our places of work – as well as within wider society – Jamie spoke of the significant role Transgender Day of Visibility can play in promoting visibility, opening up conversation and encouraging acceptance.
Trans Day of Visibility is important because it reaches people who may not otherwise engage with these conversations. It reinforces that this is a real and present community, while also providing visibility and reassurance for those who are not yet out.
As Jamie highlights here, the visibility of trans and nonbinary people that TDOV brings is not only significant in promoting awareness, but also in providing role models, information and visibility for those who aren’t out and perhaps haven’t yet found their community or support network.
Senior Leaders Raising the Bar for Trans Inclusion
Jamie stressed, however, that celebrating the trans community and promoting trans inclusion must extend beyond TDOV and tokenistic gestures of diversity and inclusion.
It's very easy to give things a token gesture of – even trans day of visibility…it's fine to use that as a date to focus on something. But it's no good putting on drag bingo and then going, that's it, ticking the box, job done. It's got to be about real learning and real change and make it productive as well as fun.
Emphasising that ‘it’s crucial that things start at the top’, Jamie explained that ensuring real change and real learning takes place within workplaces and organisations lies in the hands of senior leaders. For Jamie, it is integral that senior leaders take the time to understand and educate themselves on why inclusion and diversity is important and then take the time necessary to meaningfully and authentically embed inclusive practices into their organisation. His sentiment is cogently evidenced in our 2025 research, where three in four employees reported thinking that senior leaders are crucial to a culture of inclusion and belonging in organisations. Jamie stressed that cultivating authentically inclusive businesses is not only beneficial for the individuals who work there, but also for the diverse clients, customers and service users.
Inclusive leaders recognise the value of a genuinely diverse workforce, whether in terms of LGBTQ+ representation or broader diversity. It’s not just about internal culture, it’s also about reflecting the people you serve. If a business presents a very narrow profile, even if those individuals are highly capable, it can create a disconnect. When clients are looking for support, they often want to see someone they feel can understand their situation, and representation plays an important role in building that trust.
As Jamie points out, a lack of diverse representation and external visibility can have negative repercussions for business. This is well-illustrated in our Seeing is Believing research report which found that nearly two in three LGBTQ+ people reported being more likely to shop with businesses that had visible LGBTQ+ role models. With sociopolitical environments around the world becoming increasingly hostile toward the trans+ community, it is vital that organisations step up to foster cultures where their trans+ talent is not just visible, but also celebrated and empowered.