‘What’s Gaying On?’: A Brief Look At Recent Lesbian Culture

By Rachid at Kiiroo

15 March 2017

A Look at Trends in 2017

Recent politics may be trying to marginalize the rights and issues of LGBTQI individuals but queer culture remains defiant, inspiring, and vibrant in its execution.

To be queer is to be immersed in a unique culture—one with its own distinctive flair, issues, and cultural outlets—and we at Kiiroo think it’s worth celebrating the various facets of queer culture.

However, the LGBTQI community is such a flourishing group that we’d have to write an entire book to cover everything. And while it would no doubt be absolutely fabulous, this is a blog post, so it pays to keep things short and sweet.

So today we’re going to look at Lesbian culture: Recent developments, some of the greatest recent lesbian media, and other cultural points of concern. Are you excited? Because we sure are!

Things To Read

There have been some pretty exceptional reads when it comes to lesbian culture recently, and it’s coming from all different kinds of sources too.

If you’ve recently decided to embrace your sexuality (or simply want to stay up-to-date with recent trends in the adult world) then there’s no better publication than Allison Moon’s Girl Sex 101.

This brilliant publication goes through all of the essentials when it comes to having sex with girls, and manages to do so in an inclusive and (dare I say it) arousing manner. Interspersed with practical information is the erotic adventures of two lovely ladies on a road trip. Where does it take them? You’ll have to find out yourself.

Published late last year, Meg-John Barker’s Queer: A Graphic History offers a compelling read into the identity politics of queerness. Illustrated throughout, this publication conveys its key points with wonderful clarity while being a compelling read throughout.

Going from one graphic comic to another, comic book artists from different sides of the DC and Marvel spectrum (and all those in between) came together this year to honor the victims of those killed in Orlando in 2016.

The resulting anthology series, Love Is Love, includes the work of iconic comic book artists and writers, in addition to pieces by mainstream writers such as J.K. Rowling, all celebrating love in its various forms. All of the profits for this publication are planned to go to Equality Florida to benefit the victims and survivors from Pulse. A must have for anyone who wants to show their support for this amazing cause.

If lighter reads are more your thing there have also been some really compelling articles recently. Here are just a few:

I Came Out As A Lesbian — And Then Fell In Love With A Man by Ash Fisher

The 7 Biggest Myths About Lesbian Sex, Debunked By A Lesbian by Zarra Barrie

The Story Behind the Most Popular Lesbian Dating App by Megan Lasher

The universal language of lesbian key rings by Lesbian News

Things To Watch about Recent Lesbian Culture

LGBTQI cinema has outdone itself recently, with the emergence of the intersectional, Oscar-nominated movie, Moonlight, but for those craving female representations there are definitely some must-watch movies and TV shows out there.

If you’re a fan of foreign films or psychological thrillers then The Handmaiden is a must-see for you. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, this film is a gripping lesbian love story filled with thrills and stunning imagery. It currently also holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes too, which is no small feat.

Followers of The Good Wife may also be excited to hear that Network television has now got its first lesbian lead character in the internet series The Good Fight.

A spinoff of the original show, this series follows Diane Lockhart as her aspirations to retire don’t go exactly to plan. According to the media watchdog group GLAAD, only 4.8% of characters on broadcast shows are LGBT in nature, so this is a brilliant step in the right direction.

Mind you, if you want some good old-fashioned (and slightly offensive) lesbian drama then it might be worth trying to hunt down the UK’s comedy-drama series, Sugar Rush. An oldie but a goodie, in our opinion.

If you’re looking for lesbian visibility then it may also be worth checking out Marvel’s Netflix offering, Jessica Jones. A rather dark rendition looking at the adventures of a private investigator, Jessica Jones, Jessica is assisted by her lesbian friend, Jeri Hogarth. This is particularly notable because in the original comics Jeri (or should we say Jeryn) Hogarth was male, but the reception of this character has been very positive overall, showing lesbian representation matters.

And, if you’re into animation, then we can’t neglect to mention Steven Universe—which is perhaps one of the best current cartoons tackling queer issues and lesbian relationships. We won’t spoil any of the queer aspects for you (as they’re much more compelling when you watch them unfold for yourself) but it’s fair to say we highly recommend giving it a watch.

Things To Attend

London seems to be a hub for lesbian culture right now, with not one but two large-scale LGBTQI exhibitions of interest.

The first is one you can still catch if you’re speedy—An exhibition looking at the British artist, Gluck, a lesbian pre-war rebel, and painter. This exhibition, hosted at The Fine Art Society, is set to end on the 28th February 2017, but even if you miss it you may just want to look into Gluck as an artist and her oeuvre of work. This is one interesting individual whose art is just one facet of their dynamic and often volatile lifestyle.

If you do miss this exhibition, though, don’t fret—London has more offerings for you. Most notably the ground-breaking blockbuster exhibition Queer British Art, 1861-1967, set to be in Tate Britain from the 5th April to the 1st October 2017.

Accompanied by a series of talks and workshops, this exhibition is the first exhibition dedicated to queer British art, making it an incredibly important part of queer cultural history. Kiiroo is particularly happy to see that the exhibit is being advertised through Simeon Solomon’s Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene, a representation of two lesbian lovers.

For those who cannot make it to the UK then there’s always digital collections that are well worth viewing too. Two of our favorites are The Lesbian History Archives and the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, both of which have more than enough online lesbian content to keep the culture aficionado occupied.

And That’s All For Now!

With so many amazing lesbian works coming out from across the cultural spectrum, it’s hard for us to find a cut-off point, but that’s definitely a good thing in our opinion!

If you feel like we’ve missed something major out (or have your own recommendations) then why not tell us in the comments? Is there an amazing lesbian exhibition happening in your hometown? How about the opening of an iconic new club or social group? And what about new slang terms and archetypes that you’ve seen circling the net recently?

Let us know in the comments and keep an eye out for the next edition of ‘What’s Been Gaying On?’ very soon.