It’s Lesbian Visibility Day (and Week)!
The last week in April is a busy one for celebrations. For one, there’s National Lesbian Visibility Day on April 26—right smack in the middle of Lesbian Visibility Week, April 22-28.
Lesbian Visibility Day was first celebrated in 2008; it was founded by American activist Amy Ellis. Simply put, the purpose of “the day” is to showcase women-loving-women, providing a platform for lesbian role models to speak out on the issues facing female sexual minorities. The day serves as a reminder of how far LGBTQ+ rights and equality have come while also recognizing the importance of continuing to fight for progress.
Since then, it has grown into an international event celebrated around the world. The “week” recognizes “the power of sisterhood by uplifting incredible LGBTQIA women and nonbinary people from every generation, in every field, and in every country around the world,” according to the official web site.
The publisher of Diva magazine, Linda Riley, founded Lesbian Visibility Week in 2020. Its parent company, DIVA Media Group, is Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ media entity and is based in the UK.
“Until 2020, there had been an annual Lesbian Visibility Day, but this was simply not enough,” Riley told The Advocate last year. “I came to the conclusion that a single day for lesbian visibility was insufficient. We needed, and deserved, more time to shine a light on some of the amazing women in our community, and to celebrate who we are without fear of prejudice, harassment or vilification.
“I wanted to help create a narrative that shows once and for all that the majority of lesbians are inclusive.” She added, “We want to remove any negative connotations associated with that word. This is why, during Lesbian Visibility Week, we celebrate and center all lesbians, both cis and trans, while also showing solidarity with all LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary people in an effort to expand upon the goals and objectives of the “Day.”
The theme of this year’s Visibility week is “United—Not Uniform.”
That slogan fits CAMP Rehoboth’s popular Women’s FEST weekend to a T. Although it is not officially a part of Lesbian Visibility Week, organizers have planned a program that addresses diverse interests and personalities. It takes place April 25-28. The weekend is filled with sporting events, music, comedy, social gatherings, speakers, dances, and even bingo. Women’s FEST Weekend draws women of many ages and from many parts of the east coast (and beyond).
“It is wonderful that Women’s FEST is taking place during this week,” said CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey. “We will certainly share information about Lesbian Visibility Week/Day at Women’s FEST, specifically at our headliner event. CAMP Rehoboth invites all to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Week with us on our social media pages.”
CAMP Rehoboth board member Pat Catanzariti agreed. “Considering these events fall during Women’s FEST week, I think we are honoring our lesbians quite well,” she added.
In the past, Lesbian Visibility Week has meant many things to many people, organizations, and governments. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the first out lesbian to hold the position, announced the launch of Lesbian Visibility Week 2023 by highlighting the Biden Administration’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and celebrating the diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community, according to the White House web site.
This year, DIVA is working with a number of national and international organizations such as the EL*C (EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community), ILGA World, GLAAD, Curve, and the LGBT Foundation to bring Lesbian Visibility Week to an international stage.
There are many ways to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Day and Week. Show your support by sharing positive messages about lesbians on social media. Participate in events or activities celebrating lesbian identities and experiences, such as film screenings, panel discussions, or art exhibitions. Make a donation to organizations that support LGBTQ+ rights and equality. Use hashtags to help spread communication such as #lesbianvisibilityday, #lesbianvisibilityweek, #loveislove, #pride, #lesbianvisibility and #lgbtq. Fly a flag.
Wait—there’s a flag?! One pet peeve of Diva’s Linda Riley is that many do not know that there is an official lesbian flag—an off-shoot of the Pride flag but with different colors. In its current iteration, shades of red and orange represent gender nonconformity, independence, and community; the white stripe represents a unique relationship to womanhood; and the shades of pink represent serenity and peace, love and sex, and femininity. So yes—fly a flag. ▼
Mary Jo Tarallo is a former journalist and public relations professional for various non-profits including a ski industry trade association. She won a Gold Award for a United Way TV program starring Oprah Winfrey.