We have so many beautiful women in our community full of diverse talents, backgrounds and experiences with stories to tell and connections to be made. What is the most difficult part of experiencing this nirvana filled with these majestical ladies? It’s finding them! They are here in our day to day lives but it can be like plaiting fog trying to find them. One of our many talents is that we have a stealth-like camouflage from the world and our community. I challenge Sherlock himself to find a lady who likes ladies and be 100% sure of that fact without asking the question directly. There are places to go, events and sites where we will find pockets of our wonderful community, however, finding a diverse mix in one place can sometimes be tricky.
In a world where technology is advancing at a rapid rate we are virtually connected to everyone across the globe, but our need for human connection will always be there. Experiencing connection in its rawest form will always have the chemistry to create those magical moments, where the universe nudges the right people in front of us at the right time. Where friends are made, business partners found and new ideas are formed. This may sound as cheesy as a John Lewis Christmas advert, but I bet you can remember that moment when you first met your best friend or someone who had a profound impact on your life, even if it was in a tiny nightclub toilet trying to fix your broken heel.
Being visible in a world of assumed stereotypes and still embracing our own uniqueness is a balance in itself, embracing that wonderful part of us but not letting it define us. Short of wearing a “Nobody knows I’m a Lesbian” t-shirt on a daily basis, we still face navigating those oh-so-familiar clunky questions and find it very hard to spot others within our community. It can be a challenge to make your sexuality visible. Wearing a cheeky rainbow wristband, referencing pride or being a co-founder of an LGBT+ organisation can still be overlooked, and often we are labelled as something that couldn’t be the more polar opposite.
Apparently, when meeting somebody for the first time, it takes 30 milliseconds to make a snap judgement. I’m pretty sure I can’t even sneeze that fast, let alone leave an impression on a person in that amount of time. I have an open mind and I embrace people for all of their uniqueness, and over many years of meeting different individuals, I am always taken aback by peoples stories. Admittedly, never in my 30 milliseconds of meeting someone new have I never got it right. So now, instead of guessing incorrectly, I just wait to hear their story, and I have never heard the same one twice.
We have all had that moment where there are certain ladies that peak our “Gaydar” into overdrive and we start to look for any sign of confirmation. LB Women takes that camouflage away and provides a setting for a diverse group of women to come together to make those connections. We no longer have to navigate through those clunky questions to find out if they are “on our team” and instantly we feel relaxed knowing we have experienced similar challenges even if we have been on completely different journeys.
