By Liz Waterhouse
On Lesbian Visibility Day 2019, lesbian visibility in even the most lesbian friendly nations is under threat both from traditional sources, and within communities that purport to support us.
We see this evidenced by representation in LGBTI organisation reports and funding:
Data source: Source: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfos0060/LGBT_figures.shtml
We also see a decrease in lesbians who feel comfortable naming themselves as such, under pressure from both a lesbophobic society and a male dominated community, neither of which support female-focused women.
Female-only same sex attraction has faced centuries of opposition as an “immoral” practise, and that opposition has been embraced and reframed lesbianism as exclusionary and bigoted.
Even within media from our own community it is difficult to source information on the global experiences of lesbians, although the lesbians of the world face double oppression as women and homosexuals.
Furthermore we see an ongoing war waged against women who do not demonstrate femininity or comply with the female sex role, with women continuing to be encouraged to see gender non conformity or gender resistance as evidence of masculinity.
And while lesbian visibility is under threat, the concrete situation for lesbians around the world remains dire. The world remains male dominated, with female exploitation underpinning social structures. The situation is exacerbated by widespread and powerful religious opposition, vestiges of colonial homophobia, brutal racism and the rise in sharply right wing politics in many countries and regions.
On Lesbian Visibility Day 2019, as always, Listening2Lesbians focuses on lesbians, lesbian experiences and lesbian resistance around the world.
We ask you to support lesbians and do the same.
Liz and Ari, Listening2Lesbians
Listening to Lesbians 