Oct 8th is International Lesbian Day!

Happy International Lesbian Day!

[image reads International Lesbian Day over lesbian flag colours bookended with lesbian symbols]

Like Lesbian Visibility Day (held on April 26), International Lesbian Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the issues that lesbians experience in their day to day lives, as well as recognizing the contributions of lesbians to the LGBTQ+ community.

So first some of the issues:

Lesbians often from discrimination as a result of being both women and homosexuals. Many societies still have strong patriarchal influences which say how women should talk, act and even look Many lesbian women won’t fit into these societally dictated roles for women, and may face more discrimination as a result. In some cases lesbians also face threats of forced marriages, or other attempts to “correct” their sexuality, and convert them into the ideal heterosexual woman.

Lesbians are also subjected to a wide variety of myths and misconceptions, from how they are supposed to look and dress, or what they eat, to if they are even really lesbians. Many also assume that it’s more accepted to be a lesbian, which may or may not be true, but being sexualized as a male fantasy is not the same as having wider acceptance. Further while some straight women may joke they should be lesbians because it would be easier, really all relationships can be complicated even those between two women.

Now some lesbian contributions:

Lesbians have been a big piece of not only LGBTQ+ rights movements, but also very active in pursuing gender equality. Some of the well known lesbians on the forefront of the feminist movement include Rita Mae Brown, Adrienne Rich and Audre Lorde.

Lesbians also played an important role during the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s, when doctors and nurses refused to care for a lot of the gay and bisexual men who contracted HIV or AIDS, groups of lesbians often stepped in to care for them and would even donate their blood to those in need of it. These women formed a group known as the “blood sisters”.

[image consists of a heart made of violet flowers with a few flowers trailing off the bottom]

Some questions to discuss:

• Can you think of any other issues or challenges lesbians may face, or ways they have contributed to the LGBTQ+ community?
  
  
• What is one myth or misconception about lesbians that you’ve heard most? Why might it be harmful?
  
  
• As it’s LGBTQ+ history month, can you think of any other historical figures who are/were lesbians?

Sources: https://urbasics.ca/blogs/blog/what-is-international-lesbian-day
https://gcn.ie/lesbian-blood-sisters-crucial-1980s-aids/
https://womensmuseum.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/the-blood-sisters-of-san-diego/