Lesbian Visibility Week, Courtesy Diva, Is Starting Monday

The coming week will be a big one for lesbian visibility.

As a matter of fact, it's Lesbian Visibility Week, April 20-26, a digital initiative being launched by London-based Diva Media Group to "celebrate lesbians and show solidarity with all women in our community," as the website for the event states. It builds on Lesbian Visibility Day, which has been observed around the world April 26 since 2008.

The media group, publisher of Diva magazine, will kick off the week Monday with publication of the results of the largest piece of research ever conducted into the lives of LGBTQI women and the unveiling of the Visible Lesbian 100 list. Those named to the list were nominated by the public and include U.K. and U.S. lesbians who are prominent in business, arts and entertainment, sports, activism, and other sectors.

"Growing up, it was so rare for me to see lesbian women who were successful, accepted, and living out and proud," GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a press release; GLAAD is supporting the vent. "Today, visibility of lesbian women, both transgender and cisgender, still remains strikingly low. During this time of global strife and uncertainty, it's so important to celebrate the beautiful diversity of the LGBTQ community, and to applaud all lesbian women who inspire young women to be proud of themselves and rise up together as women."

The week will also include online panels and seminars on work, wellness, and other topics. These will feature well-known speakers from throughout the community, including BBC journalist Jane Hill. These will be hosted on Zoom, YouTube, and other platforms, and daily updates will be available on Diva's social media channels.

In addition, the media group is initiating a new marketing campaign, #ThisIsMe, which has been developed entirely by women in the LGBTQI media and creative community, and spotlighting those in the Visible Lesbian 100 as well as other key LGBTQI figures.

"I am delighted that Diva Media Group has launched the inaugural Lesbian Visibility Week," Linda Riley, publisher of Diva magazine, said in the release. "I hope that this week becomes an integral part of the LGBTQI calendar going forward as it is so important that lesbians remain a visible part of the LGBTQI community and receive the recognition and celebration we deserve."

Corporate supporters of the initiative include GlaxoSmithKline, P&G, and Kantar.

For more information, visit LesbianVisibilityWeek.com.