When I was a young child, I remember riding with my grandmother in their car and asking her to identify her favorite part of her life. This was in the mid-1970’s. She didn’t miss a beat when she said “In my 50s.” I did the math and realized that was pre-me. She confirmed and said it was after her kids were grown and she could do all the things she wanted. So I decided that my 50’s would be aspirational for me as well.
I turned 50 in October 2020. And to me delight, my 50’s are proving to be pretty okay. I won a second GLAAD media award, was named to a Top 12 list by The Advocate Magazine, started a nonprofit, and I got married.
Earlier this week, the Pgh Equality Center honored me with a profile in their newsletter for Lesbian Visibility Day. And today LGBTQ Nation included me in a list of 15 ‘Lesbian Icons’
From the legendary Anne Lister, hailed as the “first modern lesbian,” to the trailblazing Sharice Davids, the first out lesbian Native American elected to Congress, these women have made remarkable contributions and serve as role models for all lesbians worldwide. These fifteen iconic lesbians have left indelible marks on society in a variety of fields, including literature, activism, sports, and entertainment.
While their achievements are diverse, they all share one thing in common: the courage to be themselves in a world that wasn’t always accepting. These women fought for visibility and representation for themselves and for future generations of lesbians, and their legacy lives on.
Others on this list include
- Anne Lister
- Storme DeLarverie
- Lorraine Hansberry
- Cheryl Dunye
- Dana Nessel
- Brittney Griner
- Victoria Alonso
- Sarah Waters
- Patty Schemel
- Kitty Tsui
- Carmilla (<– vampire!)
- Sally Gearhart
- Alice Wu
- Representative Sharice Davids
- and me
I really underestimated the impact of Lesbian Visibility day/week on my life. Being in a defensive crouch so much to ward off the worst of my sisters vitriol is time and joy consuming. I appreciate taking some time to slow down and remind myself that I’m certainly in good company and that the work doesn’t go unnoticed.
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