Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

The theme of this year’s Lesbian Visibility Week (LVW) is United, Not Uniform. Our aim is to celebrate lesbians and show solidarity with all LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people in our community. We believe in unity and lifting up those who are most marginalized.

Lesbian Visibility Week 2024

So, I am not a fan of this theme. Often times ‘united’ is a cudgel used to enforce cooperation or send a false message that all of the lesbians are on board with the stated agenda. That’s typically not the case. I’m cynical. It has been a long year.

This recognition day is always a challenge. I ping pong between celebrating the great things about my identity and angst over having to perpetually draw a line in the sand against TERFs.

Sometimes, I’m metaphorically jumping up and down, hands waving, as I shout that I’m a lesbian and a trans ally.

Why can’t I just luxuriate in affirming visibility?

I have very little lesbian joy. I have lesbian friends. I know a lot of lesbians. I like being a lesbian. I created an entire brand around it.

But my day to day realities are hard. Finding my way through the news is harrowing. I do this memorial work that’s devastating.

Ten years ago, we subscribed to FIOS and began watching Rachel Maddow each week night. That was a great period of time. Just an hour each night to get informed and bask in the utter lesbianism of it.

I don’t have those experiences as much now. I dutifully watch the new entries to lesbian canon. I share great links.

But I watch Joy Reid now. I watch the diverse weekend hosts. I don’t have a space carved out in my life dedicated to lesbian identity. I’m not going to a bar. I don’t get invited to the potlucks, if they still happen. I’m a little younger than the 2nd wave feminist lesbians who came up through the 80s and are now retiring. I’m a little older than 3rd wave lesbian feminists. I want a lesbian event that’s fun and I have a guaranteed seat with free parking. I’m not remotely a power lesbian.

Year after year, I write the same post. Here are the lesbian #AMPLIFY posts. Here are guest posts documenting local lesbian history. Here’s my “not enough lesbian content” rant.

I miss the touchstones – Maddow, lesbian movies, Curve and Girlfriends magazines, potlucks, comedy shows, sending three queer women to the PA General Assembly ( Jessica Benham, La’Tasha Mayes, and Abigail Salisbury) To be accurate, Benham and Salisbury are bisexual women, not lesbians. But it matters a great deal to me that these three women are representing our region. When I began blogging in 2005, there was no out elected officials in office at all. It bothers me a lot that progressives think unelecting a queer Jewish woman is a good step.

But there I go again – focusing on lesbian politics, not lesbian joy.

I miss having lesbian touchstones. I’m going to have to do that work myself. So I made a list

• Watch the new comedy special Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda
• Watch Wanda Sykes I’m an Entertainer
• Watch the new Tig Notaro special ‘Hello Again’
• Watch Xena Warrior Princess (finally)
• Assorted Lesbian documentaries
• Find new lesbian content creators to follow on various platforms.
• Attend at least one real time lesbian event.

This is really just a placeholder post. Lesbian visibility is important even if I’m being droll. I’m not more creative at this time, so this will do.

Previous posts on this topic:

Lesbian Visibility Day – 2023

Happy Lesbian Visibility Week 2021 – 2021

56 Lesbian Stories from Western Pennsylvania to #AMPLIFY Lesbian Visibility Day– 2019

56 Lesbian Stories from Western Pennsylvania to #AMPLIFY Lesbian Visibility Day – 2017