Lesbian Visibility Week 2026: DIVA Charitable Trust at LSEG
On Thursday 23rd April, during Lesbian Visibility Week, as LGBT+ Fund Development Manager I was privileged to attend the closing of the London Stock Exchange in partnership with DIVA Charitable Trust.
The building was full of inspirational individuals, all working to raise awareness and representation for LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people – it really was a night where I felt my cup being filled.
The evening started with an explanation of what happens during a market close, shared in real time by the CEO of the London Stock Exchange Group, Dame Julia Hoggett, an influential lesbian in her own right. From there we collectively counted down and were instantly showered by confetti in the colours of the lesbian flag. In this moment there was pure joy and celebration and powerful words spoken by Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah in her newest role as Executive Director of DCT.
We then headed into the event space where we were treated to a brilliant panel discussing the importance of creating inclusive workplaces, lived experience examples of where policies made for a straight world have not been revised for those living a queer life and the importance of allyship amongst other topics.
The rest of the night was then taken up with networking, sharing of stories and fires igniting around the room off the back of conversations on how we push boundaries, challenge perceptions and come together for a better future for our LGBT+ communities.
As a gay/queer women, I used to feel like Lesbian Visibility Week wasn’t a week that represented me but being in this space reminded me that, no matter what labels we may use to describe ourselves, this is most definitely a week where I am seen for who I am as a wife, as a mother, as me! It also gives me a renewed fire to see our communities and organisations come together and work collaboratively for sustainability and hope for our collective future.
By Emma M-M
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