To mark Lesbian Visibility Week, here’s 29 lesbian activists who’re loud, proud and making the world a better place
Wanda Sykes, Megan Rapinoe and Cynthia Nixon. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty, Marla Aufmuth/Getty and Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
It’s the first-ever Lesbian Visibility Week, running from Monday April 20, until Sunday April 26, which is Lesbian Visibility Day.
The week-long event was created by DIVA magazine to “celebrate lesbians and show solidarity with all women in our community”.
So, what better way to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Week than by honouring those in the community who are proud, visible and making the world a better place?
So whether you’re a lesbian or not, take note of these incredible women who love women.
Amandla Stenberg. The Hunger Games star turned activist who is studying filmmaking to better portray women of colour in film.
Beth Mead. Footballer for Arsenal and the English national team, helping to dispel the stigma surrounding LGBT+ football players.
Brandi Carlile. Singer-songwriter who dedicated her triple Grammy win last year to “misfits” like her.
Cherry Vann. Lesbian priest and the first woman to hold the position of Bishop of Monmouth in the Anglican church.
Claudia López. The first female, and first lesbian, mayor of the Colombian capital Bogotá, where LGBT+ people continue to face violence.
Cynthia Nixon. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty for PRIDE MEDIA )
Cynthia Nixon. Sex and the City star who this year starred in a powerful short film highlighting the conflicting and damaging messages women are bombarded with every day.
Ellen Jones. Award-winning speaker and campaigner who focuses on LGBT+ rights, mental health and autism.
Ellen Page. Actor who recently released the documentary There’s Something in the Water on Netflix, about environmental racism against Indigenous and Black Nova Scotian communities, using hundreds of thousands of dollars of her own money.
Hannah Bardell. SNP MP who this year stood up for a House of Commons security staff member after they were the victim of “abusive behaviour” by Lord Ken Maginnis.
Hannah Gadsby. Tasmanian comedian who uses her platform to raise awareness of autism and ADHD, both of which she has.
Jaqueline Wilson. Beloved children’s author who came out as gay this month at the age of 74, revealing that she’s been living “very happily” with her partner for 18 years.
Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh. Olympic Team GB hockey gold medallists, power couple and first-ever same-sex couple to win Olympic gold medals while playing on the same team.
Katherine Moennig. Original The L Word star and executive producer of The L Word: Generation Q, which worked to revive the show as more diverse and trans-inclusive.
King Princess. Genderqueer icon and musician teaching the world that “there is no right way to be a lesbian”.
Lady Phyll, co-founder of UK Black Pride. (Peccadillo Pictures)
Lady Phyll. Co-founder of UK Black Pride, which entered into a “groundbreaking” partnership with Stonewall last year to drive more support for BAME people in the LGBT+ community.
Lena Waithe. Screenwriter, producer and actor, working to recruit more people of colour and queer artists in the film and television industries.
Lily Tomlin. 80-year-old comedian, actor and Grace & Frankie star who just donated $100,000 to help people left unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Linda Riley. Publisher of Diva Magazine, and architect of Lesbian Visibility Week.
Liz Carr. Actor, comedian and disability rights activist.
Wheelchair racer Lizzie Williams. (Lizzie Williams/ Facebook)
Lizzie Williams. British wheelchair racer and international athlete, aiming to represent Team GB at the Paralympic Games.
Lucia Lucas. Trans woman and opera singer who made history by becoming the first trans singer to perform with the English National Opera in London.
Mae Martin. Canadian comedian and actor, using stand-up to raise awareness about substance abuse.
Megan Rapinoe. Led the US women’s football team to World Cup victory in 2019 and publicly took on Donald Trump.
Scottish National Party MP Mhairi Black. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Mhairi Black. The youngest MP in the UK’s House of Commons, fighting for reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA).
Miriam Margoles. Actor, voice artist and political activist.
Ruth Davidson. Scottish politician who recently stepped down as leader of the Scottish Conservative Party.
Ruth Hunt. Baroness, former CEO of Stonewall and practicing Roman Catholic, helping to bridge the divide between the LGBT+ and faith communities.
Wanda Sykes. Actor, comedian and writer using her platform to fight for LGBT+ equality for all queer people, not “just white gay men”.
