Today is Lesbian Visibility Day and our co-president Tarja would like to share the following words:

Why do I call myself a lesbian? Does the need to name myself come from me or from the environment? Is community a part of identity? I would say yes, it is a way to make yourself understood by yourself and others. We all deserve the right to live our lives authentically, fully and honestly.

There is no specific moment when it is "right" to be open about one's
sexuality. Some struggle for a long time to live the life that they and
society think they should live. Instead of living the life they wholeheartedly want to live. Some come to question or recognize their sexuality suddenly and immediately take steps to organize their lives according to their identity and maybe "coming out". For others, it takes more time.

I also call myself a Christian. I believe that I’m loved and accepted by
my Creator, that the love of Her is reflected in the love I feel towards my partner. In recent years, members of far-right movements have expressed conservative, heteronormative and binary views on gender and sexuality. They also push for regulations and laws that limit self-expression and freedom. This is how they want to limit the right of people who challenge traditional family and gender norms to live as themselves. This kind of development has led to an increase in violence against all sexual and gender minorities.

We will not disappear! We will be seen and heard for the sake of future generations! We will be striving for human rights for everybody in those regions where it still is dangerous and forbidden to live truthfully and openly as a lesbian.

Tarja Pyykkö
Co-president
European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups