October 8 is International Lesbian Day!
International Lesbian Day “is a day for lesbians the world over to come together to celebrate lesbian history, diversity and culture,” according to LGBTIQ+ Australia. In other words, it’s a day for lesbians to celebrate lesbians.
As GO reported in 2019, the origins of International Lesbian Day aren’t clear, although it originated and evolved in New Zealand and Australia throughout the 1980s and 90s. The first commemoration took place in New Zealand, in 1980, when a group of 40 lesbians marched for visibility in Wellington on March 8, International Women’s Day.
LGBTIQ+ Australia credits the second observation to a gathering in Melbourne, Australia, in 1990.
Eventually, the commemoration of International Lesbian Day was moved to October 8, six months after International Women’s Day. It is one of two days devoted to lesbian awareness; the other is Lesbian Day of Visibility, which is observed on April 26.
International Lesbian Day occurs in the midst of LGBTQ+ History Month, and is followed by National Coming Out Day (October 11), LGBT Center Awareness Day (October 19), Intersex Awareness Day (October 26), and Asexual Awareness Week (the last week of the month).
So today, celebrate being a lesbian or, if you don’t identify as one, celebrate the wonderful lesbians in your life!
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