Lesbian Day of Visibility

“L” is at the beginning of LGBT+; what more visibility do lesbians need?

However, perceptions of the community are tarred by stereotypes. Lesbian Day of Visibility, celebrated on 26 April, remains an important opportunity to celebrate the diversity in the community and to challenge stereotypes. There has been a Lesbian Visibility Day since 2008.

In the 90’s and before, the world was a different place if you were L or G – the B barely got a look in then and there was little visibility of trans people.

While some lesbians were having a great time, locking lips on Channel 4 soap Brookside, the real-life ones, like Sandi Toksvig, were living their lives quietly, believing that to broadcast their sexuality would mean waving goodbye to their careers. Indeed, when Sandi did come out in 1994, she and her family received death threats and were forced into hiding, a situation she describes as “truly, genuinely frightening”.

Now, Sandi is at the top of her game inspiring us endlessly to come out and stay out and achieve our dreams. But make no mistake – life isn’t all rainbows.

​While it’s right and proper that we take this moment to celebrate, we mustn’t forget that for too many of us, it is still 1994. We are fearful and living in the shadows. So let’s celebrate, yes. But let’s also keep pushing forward, towards a better future for everyone under the LGBT+ umbrella. Because until we can all be out, in all aspects of our lives, we may as well all be in the closet. There remains a need for strong lesbian role models. Giving a platform to these role models, all of them with different stories, identities and nationalities, each an important part of our community, reminds us that we are all valid.

That’s why Lesbian Day of Visibility remains an important celebration, even today.

March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation

On this day, 25 April, in 1993 a large political rally took place in Washington DC. The march was titled “The March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation”, and organisers estimated that 1,000,000 people attended.

Speakers and performers at the rally following the march included Larry Kramer, RuPaul, Nancy Pelosi, Madonna, Martina Navratilova, Ian McKellen, Eartha Kitt and Jesse Jackson.

Bearly Healthy Life Survey

There is very little research data on the health and wellbeing needs of the Bear community. Bearly Healthy want to find out what those needs might be and find ways to try and meet them. They have organised a survey to help them to understand the needs of the community. This is an anonymous survey. You will not be asked for personal details apart from your age.

The Bear community is all those guys, old or young, big or small who socialise in bars, at events or online.

Bearly Healthy will publish the survey results on their website. If you want to be notified about the results please register your email on their website here.

You can take the survey here.

There is also an introductory seminar (in person and on zoom), which will explore current health issues for bigger men in the bear community on Saturday 28 May from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Please see their website for more details.