Welcome to Lesbian Visibility Week!
At the time of writing, it is 20 April, and while our dear friends in the botanical community may have their own reasons for marking 4/20, here in the LGBTQ+ space, it’s time to start celebrating Lesbian Visibility Week!
So to get things started on what promises to be a spectacular seven sapphic solar sidereals, we’ve prepared this quick little guide to let you know everything you need to about this celebration of women who love women taking place across the world, including right here in Japan.
What and When is Lesbian Visibility Week?
Lesbian Visibility Week was originally conceived of in 1990, when LGBTQ+ issues were beginning to be more widely discussed in contexts outside of moralizing from religious demagogues or the fight against the HIV/AIDS crisis. However, despite this increased public awareness, some in the lesbian community felt frustrated that much of the attention went towards queer men. It was observed for three years, until becoming defunct in 1992.
In 2020, Linda Riley, the publisher of European lesbian magazine Diva, decided to revive Lesbian Visibility Week, anchored around 26 April, which is now known as Lesbian Visibility Day. Lesbian Visibility Week therefore takes place during the week that contains the 26th, which this year is 20-26 April, inclusive.
Riley noted that, even in the 2020s, lesbians — both cisgender and transgender — seemed to be increasingly marginalized as members of the LGBTQ+ community in public discourse. As an example, one could point to transphobic groups such as the LGB Alliance insisting that trans women must be excluded from women’s spaces to protect lesbians, while the reality is that poll after poll demonstrates that lesbians are the demographic most likely to be supportive of trans women.
In just six short years, it has come to be an internationally recognized event, with the Mayor of London even flying the lesbian flag at City Hall in solidarity. Even here in Japan, Lesbian Visibility Week (also known as L-Vis Week) has become increasingly prominent, as we’ll see below. But before we do, there’s one more thing we’d like to touch on…
Health and Wellbeing
Every year, Lesbian Visibility Week has a different theme, and this year’s is health and wellbeing. This follow’s from last year’s San Fransisco celebrations featuring a “wellness Wednesday,” which promotes not just physical but also mental health.
This is especially important in the light of a 2024 study from Harvard University that lesbians and bisexual women have shorter life expectancies than transgender women, with lesbians on average dying 20% sooner than straight women, and bisexual women dying 37% sooner. The study attributes this to stigma and discrimination leading to chronic health issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Additionally, bisexual women suffer from biphobia from both outside of and within the larger LGBTQ+ community, compounding their stressors.
It is for these reasons that health and wellbeing are the focus of this year’s Lesbian Visibility Week, hoping to increase the awareness of such issues not just to those outside of the community of queer women, but inside it also.
Lesbian Visibility Week Events in Japan
Here in Japan, there are a number of events to mark L-Vis Week, many of them done in conjunction with Piamy, a dating app for queer women. Here is a short selection to choose from.
L-Vis Street Party
This is a great way for Nichome newbies and long-established lesbians alike to enjoy some of the finest bars by and for queer women in Japan’s gayborhood. By signing up for the street party (L-Vis 街コン) on the Piamy app for ¥3,000, you can visit one of 27 participating bars without needing to pay an entrance fee from 7pm on 21 April to 24 April. Find your new favorite bar!
Anime Cosplay Night
Stella, one of the top lesbian-focused mix bars in Nichome, is hosting its first anime cosplay event! On the nights of the 24th and the 24th, Stella puts lesbians first and becomes women-only, rather than being a mix bar, and is offering one free drink to anyone in anime cosplay. It’s the perfect place to go for queer women who want to meet a special someone, make friends, or just yap about their favorite anime!
80’s-90’s Music Event
Closing out L-Vis Week on the 26th is this event in Cafe VOICE, overlooking the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. From 2pm to 4pm, get nostalgic with tunes from the past while admiring the beauty of nature in a women-only space.
LADY KILLER x RoomL
Don’t think we’ve forgotten Osaka-based lesbians! Another L-Vis Week finale on the 26th, this sees the long-standing LADY KILLER event combine with the new-bar-on-the-block RoomL. It’s the perfect women-only event for people who are new to the scene, and guests are welcome to come by themselves (even if you may not leave alone!).
That’s just a taste of some of the L-Vis Week delights. We hope your appetite is whet, and that you have a healthy, happy week ahead!
