Midori Kuwahara, Health Promotion Assistant with East Mississauga CHC
Lesbian Visibility Day (LVD) takes place every April 26th to recognize and celebrate women-loving-women (WLW) and folks outside of the binary who identify as lesbians. This day is also meant to address the ongoing issues experienced by women- and femme-identifying romantic & sexual minorities. In a world where lesbians continue to be fetishized, disregarded and even seen as “old-fashioned”, LVD matters.
To honour this day, we will be highlighting some diverse and varied lesbian love stories from the past and present, showcasing the many ways lesbian love can take form. This range of stories represents what queer love was and remains to be: beautiful, radical and important.
In their documentary, The Kings: A Transgender Love Story, Angie and Joey Mead King open up about their relationship as a cis (Joey) and trans (Angie) celebrity couple. For this WLW pair, the driving force behind the documentary was to let people like them know they are not alone. Through candid conversations and interviews, they openly and courageously talk about the most intimate parts of their lives and love story—including Angie’s fears around coming out & transitioning as well as Joey’s initial difficulty in coming to terms with her wife’s gender identity. The Kings is a beautiful depiction of one’s journey to self-love as a transgender woman and the power of a partner’s unconditional love and support.
This article from Dancing With Them features Emily and Hayley’s unique DIY lesbian wedding. In an interview-style format, the couple answers questions all about their special day and the time leading up to it—how they met, their engagement story, the theme of the wedding, the venue and so on. Hayley, who identifies as non-binary, also discusses the initial struggle they had in finding an outfit that felt true to their androgynous style. If you like wholesome content (and/or need tips on cute wedding ideas), check out this love story.
In this article from Dancing With Her, Estairia and Sialo open up about their individual journeys of self-discovery through their polyamorous love story. They share the fears and insecurities they had and have, as well as their experiences of polyphobia (negative attitudes and actions toward polyamory; discrimination against polyamorous people) throughout their lives. As strong believers in radical vulnerability, Estairia and Sialo do not shy away from speaking their truth and advocating that love does not have to be limited.
“We want to show able-bodied people that disability isn’t scary…and that dating someone with a disability is not a terrifying prospect that they should close their minds to.” Over the years, Jessica and Claudia Kellgren-Fozard have become a sapphic social media sensation. From disability activism to queer visibility to lesbian parenting, this couple has used their platform to initiate important conversations within and around 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Check out this feature article on Jessica and Claudia to learn about how they continue to shed light on dating and disabilities.
In this episode of “Dear, Black Love”, a media series dedicated to celebrating love through the lens of Blackness and intersectionality, Kiesh and Crystal talk about their relationship and the privilege of loving a Black woman, as a Black woman. Their conversations are pure, heartwarming and emotional. They show us the importance of mutual respect and appreciation for your partner(s), as well as the beauty of Black lesbian love.
A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder
In her autobiography, A Two-Spirit Journey, Ma-Nee Chacaby recounts her experiences as an Ojibwa-Cree lesbian. Her life story is one rooted in trauma and resilience as it reveals the ongoing impact colonialism has on the social, political, physical, mental and economic wellbeing of Indigenous individuals and communities. Throughout the novel, Chacaby reflects on her lesbian identity and describes her experiences of WLW romance as well as her deep connection to the lesbian community. These stories of love and friendship are raw depictions of lesbian love, and teach us the importance of chosen families.
Content Warning: physical and sexual abuse/trauma, illicit use of substances, homophobia, depression/suicide
When we think about love, rarely do we think about the love we have for ourselves. For lesbian-identified folks in particular, experiences of compulsory heterosexuality and lesbophobia can take a huge toll on self-love and self-confidence. Thankfully, non-binary writer Rory Gory has published this helpful list of seven ways to love your queer self.
Lesbian Visibility Day is one of the only international events aimed at recognizing and uplifting WLW and lesbian-identifying gender-diverse folks. Evidently, there is a lack of empowering spaces that exist for this diverse and widespread community, which is reflected in the limited views people and societies have of lesbian identities and lesbian love stories. In celebrating LVD and sharing just some (of the many) lesbian love stories that exist—and have always existed—we open up space for recognition, celebration, support and allyship.
From one lesbian to another, Happy Lesbian Visibility Day!
Check out the accompanying Instagram post for this #Pride365 blog here.
