It’s #lesbianvisibilityweek and, as ever, I find myself thinking about how my visibility as a lesbian is so connected with that of many other women, especially butch women, lesbians of colour, transwomen who identify as lesbian, and non-binary people seen as lesbian.

I know and recognise that my ability to pass (should I ever wish to) is a product of my perceived distinction from those whose self-presentation puts them more immediately in a viewer’s definition of ‘lesbian’. The costs they bear can be considerable & I thank them for it.

The most important way, for me, to show my thanks is not to hide; not to retreat into the shadows offered by lazy and often homophobic and misogynistic constructions of dykey-ness. Happily my family and loved ones have never asked or expected me to.

In my working life, I feel so lucky to work in a place with so many queer women, many of whom identify as lesbian and many of whom are in leadership positions @bhamlaw and @artsatbham.

And to our @bhamlaw and @unibirmingham queer- and lesbian-identifying students now finding themselves in inhospitable or hostile spaces, unable to express their sexual identity with comfort or freedom, we are here for you. DMs are open; we see and value you.