BY JASMINE KAPOOR

This past weekend, some Canadian families came together to celebrate Thanksgiving, but in the midst of that holiday, another celebration was also taking place. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as allies recognized Sunday October 8th as International Lesbian Day.

This day has been celebrated annually since the 1990s, and although it is not widely observed, it is a way for lesbians to gather and celebrate themselves, each other, and lesbian culture as a whole.

Despite the many positive changes that have occurred for the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still quite a bit of room for improvement – from equal rights everywhere, to adoption, to putting an end to stereotypes. Even representation in the media is still an issue, with “lesbian” being viewed as a “bad word” that children shouldn’t hear, to the curse of having your favourite lesbian characters killed off in shows and movies.

International Lesbian Day is a time to recognize just how strong lesbians are, and to remember all the effort and sacrifices that has resulted in the progress we see today, which gives us the strength to work towards a better tomorrow.