In a lot of ways, 2018 has been a tumultuous year politically, and we’ve experienced some difficult moments as a community. While there has certainly been some regression in rights for LGBTQ+ people, there has also been progress. This year has seen major steps forward for gay women all over the world, and below we highlight our favourite wins for the lesbian community in 2018.
There were so many badass gay women who competed in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics this year, and the list of out female athletes continues to grow. It’s amazing to see lesbian women being visible on the world stage, and 2018 saw more out athletes than any previous Winter Games, including some who made it onto the podium! Olympic athletes being out and proud does a lot for visibility of the community, and it continues the push for equality and inclusion in the world of sports.
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Near the start of this year, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Latin American Governments must allow same-sex marriages in their countries. It was the largest court order for marriage equality in history, and it means that the TWENTY countries under the court’s jurisdiction must allow same-sex marriage if they don’t already! The included countries are Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay. This is a massive win for LGBTQ+ people in these countries, and a huge step forward for marriage equality worldwide!
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This year we saw many celebrity women come out publicly. It’s so amazing to see women in the spotlight being visible and open about who they are, and it’s paving the way for many people who are still struggling with their own sexual identities. Our favourite on the list is Janelle Monae, who is a badass musician, and queer woman of colour.
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Each year, we see more countries around the globe changing and updating their laws regarding LGBTQ+ people, and this means huge progress for the community! Trinidad & Tobago was among the former British colonies that continued to uphold anti-gay laws that are centuries old, but in April of this year they declared the law unconstitutional. This means that consensual same-sex sexual activity is no longer criminalized, and the Prime Minister has committed to protecting all citizens of Trinidad & Tobago “regardless of whom they sleep with”.
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This year, Scotland launched an amazing campaign to tackle hate crimes due to homophobia (as well as transphobia, bigotry, racism, and ableism). The campaign was funded by the Scottish Government and Police Force, and includes billboards boldly calling out homophobes for their abusive behaviour. They’re making it clear that homophobic harassment and violence will not be tolerated, and that love lives in their country, not hate. What an incredible message to send to your country’s citizens and hopefully more nations will follow suit!
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In 2018, the UK announced a 75 point plan to better the lives of it’s LGBTQ+ people, including the introduction of an LGBTQ+ health advisor, a plan to tackle discrimination and hate crimes against the community, and the long overdue ban of gay conversion therapy. £4.5m is being put toward the initiative, and it is a huge step toward further equality in the UK, which is currently a world leader in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Such an amazing thing to see!
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LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media is so important, and It’s amazing to see so many lesbian (as well as queer, bi, and trans) characters being depicted on TV right now. This epic list sure impressed us, and we’ve definitely taken note of some shows we’d like to watch! Visibility is growing, and it’s so exciting to see more authentic representations of lesbians on television.
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This Fall, India’s Supreme Court struck down the law that criminalized same-sex sexual activity, and it was a massive win for the community in India, and worldwide! India is a former British colony, and it’s anti-gay law had been in place since the 1860s. The victory that came from this hard fought battle has overturned more than a century of LGBTQ+ oppression. This is an enormous step forward, and will hopefully help encourage change in the other 30 former British colonies that still have laws criminalizing gay sex.
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In 2018, Scotland announced their decision to require all state schools to add LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons to their curriculum. All students will now learn about the equality movement, as well as different identities and the unique issues that face the community. Scotland is the first country in the world to do this, and it sends a very clear message in their commitment to equality and inclusion. This is such a big win and will have a massive effect on the next generations!
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The 2018 US mid term election saw huge wins for the community, and LGBTQ+ people were elected to office in record numbers! The wins included a lesbian congresswoman being elected to the House of Representatives, a lesbian woman being elected as a state representative, a lesbian woman being elected to the United States Senate, and a bisexual woman being re-elected as Governor. It’s incredible to see more and more politicians being out and open about their sexuality, and it’s especially positive to see so many of them get elected during this administration. It definitely makes us hopeful for the future!
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Were there any other 2018 events that you think were big for the lesbian community? Let us know in the comments below!
