Say the Word: Lesbian

I casually mentioned raising the lesbian flag to a friend, and she said, “Wait, we have a flag?”

It stopped me for a second.

Most people recognize the rainbow Pride flag. Many know the transgender flag. But the lesbian flag still surprises people. That says a lot. It speaks to something deeper than just colors and symbols. It points to how often we’ve been overlooked, misunderstood, or simply left out of the conversation.

That’s one of the reasons Lesbian Visibility Week exists.

The other is the word itself.

Somewhere along the way, “lesbian” became a word people hesitate to say out loud. It’s been mischaracterized, flattened into stereotypes, or associated with exclusionary ideas that don’t reflect the fullness of who we are. And in response, too many people have stepped back from it.

I don’t think we should.

I think it’s a word worth saying. A word worth protecting. A word that holds history, identity, culture, and community. That’s part of why we feel so invested in Lesbian Visibility Week.

So, what is Lesbian Visibility Week?

Lesbian Visibility Week runs April 20–26 this year. It’s about making sure we’re visible in the world around us.

It started in 2020 when Linda Riley (in the UK) recognized that one day of visibility simply wasn’t enough.

In 2023, she called me and asked if we would help bring Lesbian Visibility Week to the U.S. We started with three events.

Now, just a few years later, it has grown into something much bigger.

This year, through the work of The Curve Foundation, our partners, and an incredible team of staff and volunteers, we now have more than 100 free events happening across the country and, for the first time, expanding into Canada. From major cities to smaller communities, people are showing up, often discovering for the first time that they are not alone.

This is exactly the kind of work we care about. It brings people together across generations and across borders in a real way.

And it’s not about one kind of experience. It’s about many.

Here are some highlights I hope you’ll join us for:

• NYC Kickoff & Curve Power List Unveiling (April 20) — launching the week and celebrating leaders shaping our community
• Wellness Wednesday (April 22) — gatherings centered on health, movement, and care
• Coast to Coast Queereoke (April 23)—happening at lesbian and queer women-centric bars and spaces around the country from Brooklyn to the Bay
• Queer Women in Sports Day (April 25) — watch parties, trivia games, conversations, and community in women’s sports spaces nationwide
• Illumination of 16 New York state landmarks (April 26) — including 1WTC, Niagara Falls and Kosciuszko Bridge, and more
• Beyond the Rainbow — our virtual conversation series, bringing together voices across generations and identities so that anyone, anywhere, can participate
• Events in cities across the country — Watch parties and gatherings across the country from San Francisco to New York to events in Minneapolis, Portland, Winnipeg, and more

And that’s just a snapshot.

To see everything that’s happening, most events free, check out our new Lesbian Visibility Week website at LesbianVisibility.org. It brings together the full calendar of events from coast to coast, along with simple ways to participate, wherever you are.

Lesbian Visibility Week is intentionally inclusive — lesbians, queer women, bi women, trans women, nonbinary people, and anyone who feels connected to lesbian culture and community are included. You don’t have to identify as a lesbian to uplift those who do.

What matters is that we show up for each other.

As one of our team members put it so simply, we’re here to uplift everyone and tear down no one. If your goal is to divide, this probably isn’t for you. This week is about connection, visibility, and belonging.

If you’re wondering how to take part, it can be as simple as:

• Flying the lesbian flag
• Showing up to an event
• Tuning into a virtual panel
• Or just saying the word out loud

Lesbian.

Visibility is not just about being seen. It’s about being recognized, valued, and remembered in a world that too often erases us.

When we say the word and show up, it’s not just for a week of events. It’s how we make ourselves visible and continue the good fight all year round. And it might be the thing that helps someone else realize they’re not the only one.

When we say the word, when we show up, when we create spaces where our lives are centered and celebrated, we are doing more than participating in a week of events. We are shaping culture. We are preserving history. We are making it easier for someone else to see themselves.

So yes, say the word.

And then come be part of it.