Lesbian Visibility and Music

IntraSpectrum Counseling is proud to commemorate Lesbian Visibility Day, a time to celebrate the power of sisterhood and uplift all the incredible LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people, from every generation. This reflection on Lesbian Visibility Day is authored by Dr. Leesa Contorino, PsyD-L, a member of the IntraSpectrum Counseling team.

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Every year on Lesbian Visibility Day, I reflect on the changes in visibility I have seen in my community over my lifetime, specifically in the media I consume. When I was becoming more aware of my sexuality in the mid 2000’s, mainstream lesbian visibility was few and far between. With such little representation, this meant if a music artist or television character came out as a lesbian, I was listening and watching. Today, I sit in awe at the lesbian visibility in media and can no longer keep up.

However, there is still much work to be done to increase visibility for intersectional identities within the lesbian community. Over the last two decades alone, I have seen lesbian visibility in the music industry grow immensely. This month at Coachella, arguably one of the biggest music festivals, Renee Rapp, a 24 year old lesbian music artist, was introduced by the original cast of the 2000’s Showtime series The L Word. Even as I craft this article, I’m listening to songs by Fletcher, Snow Tha Product, Chappell Roan, Tracy Chapman, and Renee Rapp. Lesbians are having a moment in mainstream music right now and I am thrilled to be a consumer.

As a mental health provider, I can also see the emotional benefits of representation in the media. While our heterosexual counterparts have societal scripts for navigating love, sex, and relationships, lesbians were historically erased from these scripts. At its worst, lesbians were represented as a joke or antagonist. For those becoming more aware of their sexuality, seeing popular artists represent and portray queer love and lesbian identity and culture within their music provides hope and affirmation of one’s identity during the coming out process. In a world that continues to be hostile to sexual and gender minorities, having awareness of safe and affirming lesbian and queer adults is paramount for maintaining hope of a life beyond the closet.

Click the links below for more information and resources on Lesbian Visibility Day:

• Lesbian Visibility Day — How It Started and Why We Need It
• The Curve Foundation
• LesbianVisibilityWeek.com

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Lesbian Visibility Day is is observed annually on April 26. As Chicago’s leading psychotherapy practice dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, IntraSpectrum Counseling is proud to acknowledge and celebrate LVD. Every day, we strive to provide the highest quality mental health care for clients of all ages and across the spectrum of identities. For anyone needing affirming and validating support or healing with any issue, please click here or email us at help@intraspectrum-chicago.com.