Celebrating Lesbian Visibility Week 2026
Lesbian Visibility Week 2026 provides an opportunity to celebrate the lives of women who have shaped our history and culture. We’ve found a few, from 19th-century diarists to modern Canadian leaders, who have broken barriers and left legacies within and beyond the 2SLGBTQiA+ community. By highlighting their stories, we recognize the importance of visibility in fostering a more inclusive society.
Lesbians at home
Janine Fuller served as the long-time manager of Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium in Vancouver’s West End. Her work at the bookstore placed her at the center of a landmark legal battle against Canada Customs, which routinely seized and confiscated books destined for the shop under the claim that they were "obscene". You can learn more about the conflict in Fuller’s book Restricted Entry: Censorship on Trial (1995), a non-fiction account of the bookstore's legal struggles. In 2024, she was appointed to the Order of Canada for her contributions to freedom of expression and her advocacy for the 2SLGBTQiA+ community.
Jackie Wong is a respected journalist and editor in Vancouver who has consistently highlighted issues of social justice, housing, and queer community health. Her work provides critical insights into the lived experiences of diverse 2SLGBTQiA+ populations in British Columbia. Wong is currently senior editor of The Tyee, a prominent B.C. online news magazine. She frequently discusses and writes about queer community health and lived experiences in B.C.
Pat Hogan is a seminal figure in the history of 2SLGBTQiA+ Vancouver community building. Her contributions center on creating vital social spaces and advocacy networks during the late 20th century. Hogan was instrumental in the operations of the Luv-A-Fair, a venue that began as a gay disco in the early 1970s and became a cornerstone of Vancouver’s alternative and queer nightlife. She was a co-founder of Womyn’s Ware, a groundbreaking feminist and queer-focused shop in Vancouver that prioritized sexual health, education, and empowerment. Hogan served as a dedicated leader within the Vancouver Pride Society, helping to stabilize and grow the city's Pride celebrations during critical years of political and social transition. And she opened Josephine’s Cappuccino Bar and Wimmin's Crafts in 1992, which served the 2SLGBTQiA+ community for two years. I personally met Pat Hogan through BOLDfest (Bold Older Lesbians and Dykes) (founded in 2004 by Pat Hogan and Claire Robson) an annual conference held in Vancouver to create community for lesbians over 45. Most of us have met Pat at one event or another - perhaps BOLDFest, perhaps a Womyn’s Craft Fair which she held annually in the Heritage Hall on Main Street.
Of course there are so many more lesbians and queer women of note in our wee corner of the world but let’s look at a few beyond Vancouver.
Canadian Icons of Change
Michelle Douglas fundamentally altered the landscape of civil rights in Canada through her courage and persistence. In 1989, she was discharged from the Canadian Armed Forces due to her sexuality, an experience she countered by launching a landmark legal challenge. Her victory in 1992 resulted in the end of the military's discriminatory policies against 2SLGBTQiA+ people, securing the right for all Canadians to serve their country regardless of who they love.
Makeda Silvera has spent her career ensuring that the voices of queer women of colour are heard and preserved. As an author and activist, she co-founded Sister Vision Press in 1985, which was the first publishing house in Canada specifically dedicated to women of colour. Her commitment to documenting the intersections of race, class, and sexuality has provided a vital archive for the 2SLGBTQiA+ community.
Libby Davies holds a significant place in Canadian political history as a pioneer for 2SLGBTQiA+ representation. In 2001, she became the first female Member of Parliament to come out as a lesbian while in office. Throughout her tenure, she remained a steadfast advocate for social justice, housing rights, and 2SLGBTQiA+ equality, proving that authentic representation at the highest levels of government can drive meaningful legislative change. Libby Davies is a Vancouver native, but we thought we’d include her in the Canada-wide section because of her far-reaching influence.
International Trailblazers in Science and Sports
Ruth Gates was a visionary marine biologist whose work continues to offer hope for the planet’s oceans. She dedicated her life to researching coral reef resilience and was a leading voice in developing "super corals" capable of surviving the rising temperatures of climate change. Her leadership and scientific innovation have left an indelible mark on environmental conservation and have inspired a new generation of 2SLGBTQiA+ researchers in STEM.
Billie Jean King is a global icon who transitioned from being a tennis champion to a powerful advocate for social equity. While her 39 Grand Slam titles are legendary, her most significant impact may be her 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" victory, which became a turning point for gender equality in sports. King has used her visibility as a lesbian to champion 2SLGBTQiA+ rights and remains a leading figure in the movement for fairness and inclusion across all professional fields.
Sara Josephine Baker was a medical pioneer who revolutionized public health in the early 20th century. As a physician in New York City, she implemented groundbreaking initiatives that drastically reduced infant mortality rates and was instrumental in identifying the source of typhoid outbreaks. Baker lived for most of her life with her long-term partner, Ida Alexa Ross Wylie, navigating a successful career while maintaining a committed queer relationship.
Historical Foundations and Cultural Impact
Anne Lister, often recognized as the "first modern lesbian," provided an unprecedented record of queer life in the 19th century. Through millions of words written in a secret code, her diaries detailed her romantic relationships with women and her navigation of the social constraints of her time. Today, her journals are a vital historical resource that validates the long-standing presence and resilience of lesbian identity.
Audre Lorde was a self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet" whose writing redefined intersectional feminism. Her essays and poetry addressed the complexities of identity and the necessity of using our differences as a source of strength rather than a cause for division. Lorde’s work remains a cornerstone of 2SLGBTQiA+ literature, offering profound insights into the struggle for liberation and the power of the written word.
Gladys Bentley was a defiant and influential figure of the Harlem Renaissance who challenged the gender norms of the 1920s. A talented blues singer and pianist, Bentley performed in men’s clothing and was open about her lesbian identity during a time when such visibility was rare and dangerous. Her legacy as a bold, queer performer continues to inspire artists who seek to live and create outside of traditional societal expectations.
Who would you like to see in a future article on Lesbians of Note? Send us your suggestions by email to whatsonqueerbc@gmail.com