Membership Directory - Individual
Genevieve Williams-Luckett
Quilter
About
Bio: Genevieve is a Data Privacy Adviser at Quilter within the Risk Team. Genevieve joined Quilter in May 2017 and was PA to the Risk Leadership Team until early 2023.
After a 17 year opposite-sex relationship Genevieve found new love in a same-sex relationship. They have now been together since 2014 and they married in summer 2018. Genevieve is keen to tell her story in the workplace in a bid to raise awareness and visibility of the LGBT community, and ensure that the environment is welcoming for all colleagues. Genevieve is the Chair of the LGBT+ network which meets regularly to discuss ways to promote inclusion and diversity through events and internal communications.
Genevieve remarks on her personal struggles to accept her new sexuality and the impact her new relationship has had on her family, friends and colleagues.
She says: "After a 17-year relationship, my boyfriend and I broke up in 2012. We'd been together since school so it felt like my whole world had come to an end. I remained single for 2 years and although I'd made a new circle of friends and work colleagues I wondered how I'd ever meet anyone. Then, in 2014, I met my neighbour's sister. We started hanging out all the time and we had similar interests. I was beginning to feel more positive about life, more alive and always felt happiest when I was with her. One night we kissed and it completely knocked me for six. It felt wrong but right all at the same time. I'd never had feelings for a woman before. As I nervously told my family about "the kiss" you could hear their shock and disbelief, but after a few months I was slowly beginning to tell more people that we had started seeing each other.
Generally, once people had picked their jaws up off the floor, the news was well received. Everyone wanted me to put a label on my sexuality but I couldn't. I just happened to like her and it didn't matter to me who she was. Why do I have to fit into a category? Why can't I just be happy being me? It took a while but slowly I was beginning to accept myself and feel more normal' if I can use that word. I proposed to her on our third anniversary and I knew from that day on I'd better start getting used to referring to her as my wife and learn to be more comfortable when talking about her. In August 2018 we got married and even on my wedding day it felt a bit bizarre. Wondering what passers-by would think of two women together in wedding dresses.
I still feel like I have to be careful when talking about her, or when introducing her to someone for the first time, as you just don't know what reaction you'll receive. I do however feel that in the last few years, since we have been together, times have changed and the world has moved on. Or perhaps I just feel more comfortable in myself, I'm not sure. Either way, I'm happy. That's all that matters in my books."
After a 17 year opposite-sex relationship Genevieve found new love in a same-sex relationship. They have now been together since 2014 and they married in summer 2018. Genevieve is keen to tell her story in the workplace in a bid to raise awareness and visibility of the LGBT community, and ensure that the environment is welcoming for all colleagues. Genevieve is the Chair of the LGBT+ network which meets regularly to discuss ways to promote inclusion and diversity through events and internal communications.
Genevieve remarks on her personal struggles to accept her new sexuality and the impact her new relationship has had on her family, friends and colleagues.
She says: "After a 17-year relationship, my boyfriend and I broke up in 2012. We'd been together since school so it felt like my whole world had come to an end. I remained single for 2 years and although I'd made a new circle of friends and work colleagues I wondered how I'd ever meet anyone. Then, in 2014, I met my neighbour's sister. We started hanging out all the time and we had similar interests. I was beginning to feel more positive about life, more alive and always felt happiest when I was with her. One night we kissed and it completely knocked me for six. It felt wrong but right all at the same time. I'd never had feelings for a woman before. As I nervously told my family about "the kiss" you could hear their shock and disbelief, but after a few months I was slowly beginning to tell more people that we had started seeing each other.
Generally, once people had picked their jaws up off the floor, the news was well received. Everyone wanted me to put a label on my sexuality but I couldn't. I just happened to like her and it didn't matter to me who she was. Why do I have to fit into a category? Why can't I just be happy being me? It took a while but slowly I was beginning to accept myself and feel more normal' if I can use that word. I proposed to her on our third anniversary and I knew from that day on I'd better start getting used to referring to her as my wife and learn to be more comfortable when talking about her. In August 2018 we got married and even on my wedding day it felt a bit bizarre. Wondering what passers-by would think of two women together in wedding dresses.
I still feel like I have to be careful when talking about her, or when introducing her to someone for the first time, as you just don't know what reaction you'll receive. I do however feel that in the last few years, since we have been together, times have changed and the world has moved on. Or perhaps I just feel more comfortable in myself, I'm not sure. Either way, I'm happy. That's all that matters in my books."