Diva magazine launches campaign against ‘lesbophobia’

The editor of Diva magazine has launched a new campaign against “lesbophobia”.

Jane Czyzselska said to PinkNews.co.uk: “Like the brilliant Everyday Sexism project, our Everyday Lesbophobia campaign has been set up to document instances of prejudice from serious abuse to casual put downs that have become so commonplace that we often don’t feel able to protest about them.”

She added: “We’re inviting lesbians and bi women to share their stories and show that prejudice still exists and merits discussion.”

“Everyday Lesbophobia” includes a blog, Facebook page and Twitter account, where gay women can detail “everyday attacks” based on their sexual orientation.

It comes after a series of incidents involving sports presenter Clare Balding.

Last month Russell Brand joked that he attempts to seduce any lesbian he meets.

The comedian was responding to claims made by Balding that he “made advances” towards her, but that she “wasn’t interested”.

Brand told Capital FM: “Clare Balding, isn’t she gay? I don’t know that I’ve ever met Clare Balding.”

He then joked: “I just do that with lesbians, like, ‘Come on, you’re not that lesbian. For heaven’s sake, you’re just being difficult now’.

“She’s in a happy relationship, isn’t she? I won’t rest until every lesbian relationship in Britain has been disrupted by an unwelcome boorish Essex boy.”

Also in June, the BBC had to apologise when a broadcast of Radio 5 Live’s Fighting Talk included a satirical section called “Defend the Indefensible” in which comic Bob Mills was asked to justify the argument: “Give me 20 minutes with her and I’m pretty sure I could turn around Clare Balding.”

During the section, Mills described Balding as a “horse woman” who “appreciates power between her thighs.”

Stonewall Chief Executive Ben Summerskill called the show “canteen bullying from the 1960s”.

The show’s presenter, Colin Murray, announced he was quitting 5 Live for TalkSport on Tuesday.