To kick off Pride Month, Amy Potter, protection team manager at London & Country, spoke to Health & Protection about feeling initially lost in a predominantly male and heterosexual industry, her delight at seeing the sector offer diversity training and about an incident in which she fought to get the right outcome for a transgender client.
What have been your own experiences with regard to attitudes towards LGBT communities in the sector?
I’ve worked in the protection sector for seven years now and have been out for five of those years.
I’ve been mostly fortunate in my experiences. Initially, a few people were surprised and one or two people did mention that I’d ‘probably still end up with a man’ but the journey from then to now has been huge.
I felt lost initially as financial services is predominantly male with a majority heterosexual workforce. But I was extremely lucky in protection to have been surrounded by an incredibly supportive team and department at L&C mortgages.
My career ambitions have always been nurtured and encouraged, to the point where I was able to progress from an admin role to protection adviser and to a manager all with a three-year timeframe. I’ve never felt hindered or disregarded due to the fact I’m engaged to a woman.
My colleagues often ask how she is, how her new job is going and always welcome her to team nights with open arms. I feel safe and secure being myself as I’m surrounded by allies.
How have attitudes evolved across the sector?
When I initially joined the protection industry seven years ago, there wasn’t a lot of information accessible to colleagues.
My own experience when I initially came out was that a lot of colleagues worry about saying ‘the wrong thing’.
So, I was delighted to see some training on diversity offered last year, which offered learning opportunities to all. I learned a few things on how to better support my non-binary colleagues.
There has been a noticeable increase in support for diversity across all businesses. I know it’s making a lot more people feel seen. It’s been great to discuss this with people from other protection companies at events.
When this is coupled with businesses setting up groups to improve the workplace and celebrate diversity, things can only continue to get better. At L&C our group initiative is called ‘We Belong’.
What is the sector doing well and where does it need to up its game?
It’s great to see so many people on board with making things better.
An adviser in my team had a case in which they received unfavourable terms for their client due to them being transgender, having a mental health exclusion due to being ‘more at risk’ than CIS clients – despite not having any disclosures for mental health on their application.
My adviser raised concerns with our customer care team and directly with the insurer and the collaborative work in getting the right outcome was fantastic to see.
The adviser and I even received a hand-written card and gift from the insurer as thanks for raising our concerns and it resulted in a change to their underwriting for this, and future clients.
That’s what this sector is doing well, listening and implementing change collaboratively rather than defensively.
To ‘up its game’ I would say we just need to continue building on this. Be open to being held to account if you say something incorrectly, regardless of intent and listen on how to do better next time.
Keep creating safe spaces where people can vocalise how they feel, as people getting to be their genuine selves brings out the best versions of themselves.
Do you feel encouraged and enabled to bring your whole self to work?
Absolutely – my team organised a big night out in Bristol to celebrate me when I told people I was gay at work. It was such a relief that people viewed it to be a celebration when I had imagined all the worst case scenarios.
A lot of my team will be invited to my wedding in New York next year
And since coming out, I’ve never feel like I have to hide that side of myself. My opinions on what can be better are always listened to, valued and implemented where possible.
Being supported by my industry to be myself has meant that I’ve had colleagues come out to me – it encourages a whole chain of people to be able to be their authentic selves.