It’s Lesbian Visibility Week. That’s important, because research suggests that gay men are more than twice as likely to be out in the workplace than gay women; gay trans women tend to stay closeted in the workplace too.

Visibility matters. I grew up in a period of viciously anti-LGBT+ media and Section 28, and it wasn’t until very many years later that I discovered that there were other people just like me. That lack of knowledge kept me miserable and in denial for far too long.

Visibility tells you that you’re not alone, that you’re not broken, that you should not be ashamed of or battle who you are. Visibility tells you that you deserve and should demand respect, love and joy.