International Lesbian Day
International Lesbian Day, held on October 8, is a day of celebrating lesbians, along with their culture, history, and diversity. This day is celebrated by lesbians and allies with various community events, dances, and conferences and is mostly celebrated in New Zealand and Australia. It is unknown when it was first celebrated: some say it started in New Zealand in 1980, but others say that it started in Australia in 1990.[1][2][3]
In New Zealand
[edit]International Lesbian Day in New Zealand is said to have started on March 8, 1980, with the very first Lesbian Day March on International Women's Day. The march only consisted of 40 women who marched through Wellington's Central Park.[4][5]
In Australia
[edit]The first international Lesbian Day event in Australia was held at the Collingwood Town Hall in Melbourne on October 13, 1990. They had featured musicians, market stalls, readings, and danced to live music. Since then, the lesbian community in Melbourne has celebrated this day either on or around October 8. Lesbians now ask the community to donate to charities that support lesbian women.[6][7][8]
ACON, an LGBTQ health promotion organization that specialize in HIV prevention and support based in New South Wales, used this day to launch their lesbian health strategy.Lesbians On the Loose has used October 8 to celebrate their 20th anniversary.
Lesbian Visibility Day
[edit]International Lesbian Day is also related to Lesbian Visibility Day, which is held on April 26 and is believed to have been started in 2008 in the United Kingdom. The day that allows individuals, who identify themselves as lesbian, to bring awareness to the issues that they face, including marginalization within the LGBTQ community.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Mimikos, Heather (October 8, 2024). "A Toast to Lesbians". Annenberg Media. USC. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ Ellazam, Tamuz (October 8, 2024). "International Lesbian Day: A Herstory". Star Observer. Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ Rogers, Destiny (October 8, 2024). "Celebrations for International Lesbian Day around the world". QNews. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ "World Celebrates International Lesbian Day". Your Ex. October 9, 2020. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
- ^ Williams, Becca (October 8, 2024). "Know Your Queer History: International Lesbian Day". GO Magazine. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024.
- ^ "International Lesbian Day". LGBTIQ+ Health Australia. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "International Lesbian Day". Canadian Pride Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ "International Lesbian Day". Confederation of Canadian Unions. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ^ Ring, Trudy (April 26, 2023). "Lesbian Visibility Day — How It Started and Why We Need It". The Advocate. Archived from the original on November 4, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2025.