I was a student in Brighton, the most fabulous (in every way!) of cities in the early 1990’s. Back then, times were different, I thought I was a straight woman. I didn’t understand there was an option to be anything else and what feelings I had were suppressed and ignored.

Those who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s will understand this experience. We just didn’t have visible role models to show “alternatives” as we do today.

In 2025 it can seem that we are going backwards – there is lots more “noise” around anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes and social media can drive negativity.

However, research still shows that the UK public is four times more likely to feel positively towards LGBTQ+ people than they are negatively. This shows that there has been a positive cultural change with the homo/bi/transphobia mentality now restricted to a tiny minority, but of course society needs to do more, to be more tolerant.

I have been in financial services for over 25 years, and just by being female I am a minority (still only around 18% of financial advisers are women). It is only in recent years that we have seen visible positive initiatives towards the industry being more diverse and welcoming, although at a recent awards dinner, we were reminded at just how “male and pale” the business still is.

Running a small business in Hitchin, it might not be so easy to be heard, but I am determined to do more too, and Raymond James has been excellent at providing a platform for diversity. Being part of the Raymond James Global Pride Advisory Council and the Women’s Wealth Management Network enables me to be visible and to lead by example.

We have painted our office windows with a huge Pride mural not as a “tick in the box” for Pride month but because I know that for many, just seeing a Pride flag brings a sense of being seen, of being recognised for who you are. Plus it’s really pretty!!

It’s not just about supporting those within the community, but also educating others to be able to serve our community better. The world is changing, and we must embrace that change.

So to me, Pride is more than just a party, it’s a celebration of life and the opportunities given to us today by those who dared to be different and true to themselves. We can all take steps each day to be that change.