Editorial Content

On the 17th of May 2004, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) was founded, aiming to bring together individuals, organisations and governments across the globe to raise awareness of the issues facing LGBTQ+ people and to advocate for the laws and policies needed to protect their rights.;This year’s theme – ‘at the heart of democracy’ – seeks to remind us that truly democratic societies must be grounded in justice and freedom for everyone. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and protections are increasingly being challenged, this sentiment feels more pertinent than ever.

Our Chief Executive sat down with author and leadership expert Ella Samson for a wide‑ranging conversation on gender identity, belonging, and what leadership looks like in practice today. The Power of Emergence is available in paperback and ebook wherever books are sold.

In the summer of 2024, amidst a period of heightened lesbian representation in mainstream popular culture and across social media platforms, it was declared that the ‘Lesbian Renaissance’ had arrived. With the increased popularity and mainstream success of openly lesbian musicians, the release of films and TV shows centring on explicitly lesbian characters and narratives, alongside a proliferation of new FLINTA (Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Non-Binary, Transgender and Agender) spaces and events for sapphic folk popping up in many cities, the so-called Lesbian Renaissance has been credited by many as being a huge win for lesbian visibility. Whilst certainly offering positives for our community – not least in providing younger folks or those exploring their identity with the role models and representation that many of us didn’t have – the real-life impact that this cultural moment has had on inclusion and meaningful change for the lesbian community is up for debate.

In 2025, we launched our Women of Impact programme, setting out to celebrate and spotlight the achievements of LGBTQ+ women, whilst gathering insights into their workplace experiences and the challenges they encounter at work. Our Women of Impact role models list and Editorial Series were key elements of this initiative, created in response to a clear call from our community: that the visibility and representation of LGBTQ+ women must improve. Indeed, despite advancements in legal protections and organisational commitments to diversity and inclusion, many LGBTQ+ women still report feeling unseen, undervalued and unable to bring their authentic selves to work.

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.

For the final iteration of the Women of Impact editorial series, I spoke to Tarnia Elsworth, Director and Financial Adviser at TP Financial Solutions. Working alongside her wife, Annabel, who holds the same roles, Tarnia has built a business that focuses on inclusive financial advice in an approachable and community focussed manner. Exploring her career journey, we discussed her experiences of being an LGBTQ+ woman in a male-dominated industry, inclusive businesses, and the benefits of diverse representation.

For this issue, I spoke to Claire Skinner Kennedy, Partner at Mercer, with over 20 years of experience within the pensions and investment industry. Alongside her role in Mercer’s UK Client Team, Claire has been heavily involved in various DEI initiatives and resource groups and was confirmed as Mercer IS International DEI lead in 2021. Driving inclusion in and beyond her organisation, Claire has been recognised for her commendable efforts and is a four-time winner of the Professional Pensions LGBTQ+ Trailblazer award. Talking role models, recruiting more senior women and listening to lived experiences, Claire unpacked the means by which leaders can establish workplace cultures where everyone feels able to bring their authentic self to work.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has just launched the Mills Review into the long-term impact of AI on retail financial services.  A call for input to this review has been issued. An “Inclusion versus Exclusion: Which consumer segments might 'win' or 'lose' in this new world of AI-enabled retail finance?” category is available under the review's input ask within “Theme 3: Future consumer trends - The impact on consumers, including how AI could improve outcomes, create new risks, change behaviours, and alter demand and provision of financial services".