Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
Lesbian visibility is celebrated at Q Spirit with lesbian Christian saints, books, art and other spiritual resources for Lesbian Visibility Day (April 26) and Lesbian Visibility Week (April 22-28, 2024). These events were created to recognize the contributions of lesbians and raise awareness of their struggles. Celebrating Lesbian Visibility Day helps create a more just and inclusive society for all.
Saints of special interest to lesbians include Ruth and Naomi, Brigid and Darlughdach, Hildegard of Bingen and Richardis, Joan of Arc, Pauli Murray and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.
Both the day and the week have been honoring lesbians since the 1990s on different dates, but were moved more recently to April. Lesbian Visibility Day was first celebrated on April 26 in 2008 when activists organized it with the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and International LGBTQI Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO).
Why April 26? Nobody seems to know for sure, but there are theories about the reason that late April was chosen. It may commemorate the first Dyke March, which was held on April 24, 1993, in Washington, DC, on the day before the March on Washington for LGBTQ rights. Organized by the activist group Lesbian Avengers, it attracted more than 20,000 women and led to a continuous tradition of dyke marches in major cities nationwide. Another possibility is that the date is based on the famous lesbian coming-out episode of the “Ellen” TV show, which was first aired on April 30, 1997.
Lesbian Visibility Week began in 1990-92, coordinated by the West Hollywood Lesbian Visibility Committee and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Diva Magazine started the current Lesbian Visibility Week in April 2020.
One way to support lesbian visibility is to display the lesbian flag. Just as the dates differed for celebrating lesbian identity, multiple designs for lesbian flags have emerged over the decades. The first lesbian flag featured a labrys inside a black triangle. Then the “lipstick lesbian” flag put a red kiss mark in the corner over striped shades of pink.
The popular new lesbian pride flag features orange, pink and white stripes. It was created by Australian lesbian blogger Emily Gwen on Tumblr in June 2018, and won a poll about what should be the official lesbian flag. The seven stripes represent, from top to bottom: gender non-conformity (dark orange), independence (orange), community (light orange), unique relationships to womanhood (white), serenity and peace (pink), love and sex (dusty pink), and femininity (dark rose). It was soon simplified into a five-stripe version. The seven-stripe flag appears at the top of this post with an icon of saints Perpetua and Felicity by Angela Yarber.
Lesbian Visibility Day prayer
Q Spirit founder Kittredge Cherry wrote the following prayer:
Holy Spirit, on Lesbian Visibility Day we pray for all who face the double injustice of both sexism and heterosexism. Thank you for creating lesbians as part of the beauty of human sexuality in all its diversity. We lift up lesbians, queer women, same-gender-loving women, gay women, two-spirit women and their allies. We pray for those who have been silenced or erased. We call on church and society to fully affirm all lesbian lives. We embrace female images of the divine, including the Biblical ideas of God as mother hen, a woman giving birth and Sophia or Holy Wisdom. In the spirit of the divine feminine, we ask your blessings and guidance. Amen.
Best-known lesbian saints and inspiring lesbians of faith
In addition to raising awareness and promoting visibility, Lesbian Visibility Week also serves as an opportunity to highlight resources for lesbians and their allies. Click the headlines below to learn about lesbian saints and other inspiring lesbians of faith. Many historical figures did not self-identify as lesbian, but their stories of female gender non-conformity and sapphic love are offered here as an inspiration for lesbians and their allies. In some cases, both the lesbian and transgender communities are inspired by them and claim them as one of their own.
Kittredge Cherry: Christianity inspired me to come out as a lesbian
Q Spirit’s own founder and publisher is a lesbian. “She puts her spiritual journey into words. I am what many people believe is impossible: a lesbian Christian. My Christian faith gave me the strength to come out as a lesbian in 1985. As soon as I experienced God, I knew without a doubt that God loved all of me, including my queer sexuality. I went on to become a minister and author who provides LGBTQ spiritual resources to the world.”
Joan of Arc: Cross-dressing warrior-saint and LGBTQ role model
Joan of Arc is a queer saint, cross-dressing teenage warrior and girl-power hero. Smart and courageous, Joan of Arc (c. 1412-1431) had visions of saints and angels who told her to cut her hair, put on men’s clothes and go to war. Writers have explored the possibility that Joan of Arc had a lesbian orientation based on the American Psychological Association definition of sexual orientation as “an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions.” Her belief that God was the source of her queerness makes her an inspiring role model for LGBTQ people of faith.
Perpetua and Felicity: Patron saints of same-sex couples
Perpetua and Felicity were brave young North African woman friends who were executed for their Christian faith in the third century. They are sometimes considered lesbian saints or patrons of same-sex couples because they show the power of love between two women. Perpetua’s journal is the first known written document by a woman in Christian history. The two women were arrested for being Christian, imprisoned together, and kissed each other in the last moments before they were both put to death in the “games” of public arena in Carthage on March 7, 203.
Pauli Murray: Queer saint who stood for racial and gender equality
Human rights champion and queer saint Pauli Murray is a civil rights pioneer, feminist, author, lawyer and Episcopal priest. Murray was attracted to women and had the longest relationships with women, but also sometimes identified as a man and sought masculinizing hormone treatments. Murray organized protests and made legal arguments that were used in landmark Supreme Court decisions outlawing racism and sexism.
Ruth and Naomi: Biblical women who loved each other
Love between women is honored in the the lives of Biblical figures Ruth and Naomi. Ruth’s famous vows to Naomi are often used in weddings — heterosexual as well as same-sex marriages. Few realize that the promises were originally spoken between women: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay…”
Hildegard of Bingen and Richardis: Medieval mystic and the woman she loved
Hildegard of Bingen is a medieval German mystic, artist, composer and scientist who loved another nun named Richardis and wrote with ecstasy about Mary. Hildegard celebrated God’s green web of life as “viriditas,” the divine greening force of nature expressed in a combination of Latin words for “green” and “truth.”
More saints and inspiring women of special interest to lesbians
Brigid and Darlughdach: Celtic saint loved her female soulmate
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Nun who loved a countess in 17th-century Mexico City
Anne Lister: historic lesbian church wedding, new TV series and book
Rebecca Cox Jackson and Rebecca Perot: Queer black pair founded Shaker religious community in 1800s
Stormé DeLarverie: Butch lesbian who helped start Stonewall Uprising
Radclyffe Hall: Queer Christian themes mark banned book “Well of Loneliness”
Saint Walatta Petros: African nun shared a lifetime bond with a female partner in 17th-century
Sally Miller Gearhart: Lesbian educator and activist who challenged the church
Shulamite in Song of Songs: Gay, lesbian or queer Biblical love poem?
Jeanne Cordova: Lesbian nun who “kicked the habit” to become an activist
FannyAnn Eddy: Lesbian martyr in Africa
Freda Smith: LGBTQ activist, first woman ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches
And that’s just the beginning! There are even more lesbians in Q Spirit’s LGBTQ Saints series and Calendar of LGBTQ Saints.
Lesbian Christian books
Many books on queer theology, feminist theology and women in the Bible are written by lesbian authors, including Kittredge Cherry, Carter Heyward, Elizabeth Edman, Nancy Wilson, Deryn Guest and Lynn Huber.
Screenshot from Google search for “lesbian religion authors”
The following recently published books look at lesbian lives in particular.
“Hidden Histories: Faith and Black Lesbian Leadership” by Monique Moultrie.
Oral histories of black lesbian U.S. religious leaders reveal fresh patterns for theology, activism and ethical leadership this scholarly book. It is not a collection of oral histories, but an analysis based on them, arranged thematically. This first-of-its-kind work is based on the oral history interviews of 18 black lesbian leaders from various traditions. Most are Protestant Christians, but Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and other voices are also included. The author is associate professor of religious studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Published by Duke University Press, 2023.
“This Queer Grace: My Lesbian Journey Through Unknown Landscapes: A Spiritual Memoir” by Hilde Raastad.
A Norwegian lesbian minister tells her courageous life story in this memoir of queer faith and activism. The author broke boundaries as the first openly gay or lesbian ordained by the Norwegian Lutheran Church. Beginning with when she first fell in love with a woman, the book covers her studies in liberation and lesbian theology and the anti-LGBTQ hostility and discrimination she faced over her ordination in 1995. She grew into an outspoken international activist over 17 years of ministry and beyond to a place of deep spirituality. Published by Esuberanza, a multi-lingual publisher based in the Netherlands and specializing in LGBTQ religion books, in 2022.
“Queering the American Dream” by Angela Yarber.
Queer women of spirit inspire an ex-pastor’s 18-month road trip across America with her wife and toddler in a book that mixes memoir with history. She left her church job to roam the country in a camper as her brother’s addiction spiraled into a deadly overdose, in a journey not unlike the hit film “Nomadland.” The “faithless” clergywoman rediscovers grace through the lives of 16 revolutionary women from religion, myth and history, including lesbian, queer, bisexual, and non-binary figures such as Pauli Murray, Gloria Anzaldua, Guanyin, Lilith, Audre Lorde and Frida Kahlo. After years as a Baptist pastor, the author teaches about revolutionary women through art, courses, retreats and writing as executive director of Tehom Center. Published by Parson’s Porch Books, 2022.
“Love Tenderly: Sacred Stories of Lesbian and Queer Religious” by Grace Surdovel (editor).
Lesbian and queer nuns tell how they integrate their sexual orientation with their commitment to religious life in this revealing anthology. The 23 writers are a cross-section of Catholic sisters, varying in ages, communities, ministries, and stages of self-acceptance. Editor Grace Surdovel is an Immaculate Heart of Mary sister and graduate faculty in the school of education at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. Foreword by Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of New Ways Ministry. Published in 2021 by New Ways Ministry, a provider of LGBTQ Catholic resources for 40-plus years.
“Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming-of-Age Story” by Stacey Chomiak.
A young woman makes peace with her lesbian identity and Christian faith in this young-adult illustrated memoir. It tells the true story of Chomiak’s teenage and young-adult years: finding love, wrestling with family conflicts, and trying to become ex-gay before reaching wholeness and a happy LGBTQ-Christian ending. It is aimed at ages 14 to 18. Stacey Chomiak is a Canadian artist in the animation industry, getting her start on the well-loved series “My Little Pony” and currently art-directing for DreamWorks. Published by Beaming Books, 2021.
“Affirming: A Memoir of Faith, Sexuality, and Staying in the Church” by Sally Gary.
A devoted Christian finds a way to embrace her lesbianism while keeping her faith in this deeply personal memoir. As she prepares to marry the woman she loves, the author traces the experiences, scriptures and conversations that culminated in her seeing her faith as affirming, not opposing her religious beliefs. The author is founder and executive director of CenterPeace, a Texas nonprofit that has helped churches and families discuss faith and sexuality since 2006. Published by Eerdmans, 2021.
“God, a Lesbian, and the Space in Between” by Michelle Johns.
A lesbian’s quest to stay connected with God despite anti-LGBTQ bias in her family, church and society comes to life in this memoir. Raised as the tomboy daughter of preachers in the black church, the author had an awakening after she left home for college. She writes, “I want you to know how I survived and found peace with God as I am. A lesbian.” The author is an entrepreneur, musician and worship leader. Independently published, 2020.
BESTSELLER AT Q SPIRIT
“Nomad for God” by Dusty Pruitt.
A lesbian pastor / Army officer shares a lifetime of lessons learned in this accessible memoir. Raised in a fundamentalist Baptist home in Texas, Dusty Pruitt came to understand that she was a lesbian after joining the U.S. Army in 1970. She sued the Army to serve as an openly gay officer, winning a 12-year legal battle to be reinstated with a promotion to major. In 1980 she became the first openly lesbian or gay person to graduate with a master of divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver. She pastored in the LGBTQ community, including 15 years as senior pastor at Metropolitan Community Church of Long Beach. She earned a doctorate from Claremont School of Theology and is still an active ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. The memoir reveals her journey to reconcile God, gays and the Bible. Published by Trafford, 2020.
Overall, Lesbian Visibility Week is a great time to celebrate and support the lesbian community. Enhancing lesbian visibility and providing support can help create a more inclusive world for all, regardless of sexual orientation.
Links with spiritual resources for Lesbian Visibility Day
The Good Shepherd and Lesbian Day of Visibility by Amy Cerniglia (Presbyterian Outlook)
Reciting The Rosary On Lesbian Visibility Day (Kuchu Times)
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Top image credit:
Saints Perpetua and Felicity by Angela Yarber, superimposed on a lesbian flag
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This post is part of the LGBTQ Calendar series by Kittredge Cherry. The series celebrates religious and spiritual holidays, events in LGBT and queer history, holy days, feast days, festivals, anniversaries, liturgical seasons and other occasions of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of faith and our allies.
This article was originally published on Q Spirit in April 2023, and was most recently updated on April 25, 2024.
Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.
None of the saints listed here were lesbians: the idea that Joan of Arc was a lesbian is just based on the universal medieval custom of placing multiple women or girls in the same bed, and in her case almost all of them were little girls (children) rather than women. Felicity and Perpetua were merely executed together along with a group of other people, and their goodbye kiss was just the standard custom in that society, as it still is in many countries today. Your basis for claiming Ruth and Naomi were lesbian lovers is an ironic one, since the same passage says explicitly that Naomi told Ruth to leave with Orpah rather than staying with her right after a description of a hug which you somehow think was a gay marriage that occured in the instant before Ruth left. Hildegard von Bingen and Richardis were merely described as friends using the standard term of affection that was used in countless cases that had nothing to do with romance. And so on with others.