Lesbian Visibility Week (related to Lesbian Visibility Day) is an annual observance in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and other countries dedicated to increasing the awareness of
lesbian women
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
and their issues. It was originally celebrated in July in 1990 in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and more recently in April,
starting with Lesbian Visibility Day on April 26. It has been celebrated in England and Wales.
Historical observations
In mid-July from 1990 to 1992 in
West Hollywood
West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages ...
, Lesbian Visibility Week was celebrated annually.
It was conceived out of lesbians' frustrations with the higher visibility of
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
men than LBGT women, and intended to gain awareness and sociopolitical capital.
The week was coordinated by West Hollywood Lesbian Visibility Committee and the
Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
The Los Angeles LGBT Center (previously known as the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center) is a provider of programs and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The organization's work spans four categories, including health, soc ...
and devoted to raising awareness of lesbian identities and topics and celebrating the lesbian community. The celebration was "a combination of cultural programming, workshops addressing current and impending needs, awards ceremonies, and social events."
The events included film screenings, safe sex discussions, dog shows, marches, and more.
Recent observations
2020
In 2020,
Linda Riley
Linda Riley is a British journalist, publisher and LGBTIQ+ rights advocate. She is the publisher of ''Diva'' magazine and founder of the Lesbian Visibility Week that has been observed since 2020.
Career
Riley was joint publisher of the magazine ...
, publisher of
''Diva'' magazine, began a new Lesbian Visibility Week. The inaugural week took place from the 20th of April 2020, ending on Lesbian Visibility Day, 26 April. LGBT speakers included president of
GLAAD Sarah Kate Ellis
Sarah Kate Ellis (born November 27, 1971) is an American media executive, journalist, and author, most widely known for launching and turning around media brands within magazines such as '' New York'', ''InStyle'', ''Real Simple'', and ''Vogue''. ...
Henderson,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. Some brands and companies hosted their own events.
Lesbian Visibility Week 2021 took place between 26 April and 2 May 2021, and was powered by
. During this week, the
''International Lesbian Day'' is a related observation that is observed on October 8 annually. It started in
created by Brazilian lesbian activists and dedicated to the date on which the 1st National Lesbian Seminar - Senale took place, on August 29, 1996. It happens every since 2003.
.