We’re celebrating UK Pride month and 10 years since the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England, Wales, and Scotland. Andrew Gaskell, from our Diversity Action Group, invited 3 IFoA members who are also members of the LGBTQ+ community to join him in sharing their thoughts. The UK Pride Month 2024 series continues with Sophia sharing their experience.
Why do you think Pride festivals are still important?
I took part in the Brighton & Hove Pride LGBTQ+ Community Parade last year with my partner and my mum. I also marched in London Trans+ Pride last year (and will again this year). Pride festivals are important for me personally for two reasons. The first is that there is still quite a way to go for the LGBTQ+ community to be fully accepted in society and part of a Pride festival should always be about protest of this. And secondly, to see queer joy in faces of people from the community celebrating who they are is an unmatched feeling.
Whilst a lot has been achieved particularly in the legalisation of same-sex marriage in many countries are there other changes you would like to see in your country to promote equality, support and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ communities in wider society?
I would like to see the banning of conversion therapy for all areas of the LGBTQ+ community. I also believe that we need greater support, and more specifically easier access to healthcare, for trans members of the community.
How important is it that employers support diversity, equity and inclusion?
This is one of the most important aspects for me in choosing where to work. LCP does a lot to support DEI in general. Our insurance consulting department recently held a roundtable with Heads of HR across the general insurance industry to discuss DEI strategies, the merits and challenges of targets and quotas and exploring effective ways of addressing potential challenges, and how firms are making their workplace more inclusive. At LCP we have four DEI networks, including an LGBTQ+ network, and have a "Recognising Gender Identity policy" and support plan for trans people in our workplace.
How should the actuarial profession support and promote DEI and attract and support those from diverse communities including the LGBTQ+ community?
There are lots of practice things the profession can do such as providing vocal support, hosting talks on DEI topics, networking sessions, mentoring, spotlighting role models from underrepresented groups, and active encouragement of recruiting diverse talent at all levels. Something else that would have a big impact is encouraging firms within the actuarial space to consider incorporating DEI considerations into their investment advice, and specifically whether the companies being invested in have DEI values that align with the DEI values of the investors.
Chris Cullen, EY, James Smalley, RGA Reinsurance, Sophia Davies, LCP, and Andrew Gaskell, RGA Reinsurance, share what Pride means to them and their experiences in the actuarial profession.
