West Hollywood Lesbian Visibility Committee Provides A Resource for Women with Women Whether it is a teenage girl discovering her feelings for a female classmate on the Showtime series Weeds, or one of the many lesbian couples on the channel’s The L Word, or a straight woman exploring her sexuality with another woman on ABC’s Cashmere Mafia, images of lesbians on today’s most popular shows have become the norm. Thus, it is hard to imagine that only 10 years ago, Ellen Degeneres came out during an episode of her own hit show “Ellen,” and shocked viewers across America, so much so that her ratings fell and the show was prematurely cancelled. It was during this very significant moment that many people in the United States asked themselves, what is a lesbian? And how can you tell who is a lesbian, and who is not…is my best friend a lesbian…could I be a lesbian? It’s an odd word lesbian, but so is the word dyke yet they are the two most popular words to label women with women. Neither word describes what it feels like being a woman in love with another woman, going through all of life’s trials and tribulations together, including health, economic and social issues that every couple, straight or gay, faces – and all of this in addition to the challenge of the commitment to stay together. But when facing these issues as a lesbian, does the same set of rules apply? The answer is no. And that is why the West Hollywood Lesbian Visibility Committee (WeHo LVC) was established in 1989 to bring awareness to lesbians living and loving in Los Angeles/West Hollywood, California, one of the largest lesbian communities in America. WeHo LVC endeavors to bring justice where injustices are being carried out in the lesbian community and to act as a resource for women in need. While many women choose not come out, there is a growing population of out lesbians today living a proud life and enjoying healthy, supportive and loving relationships. Whatever type of lesbian you are, the WeHo LVC wants to be there for you. In addition to providing encouragement for all lesbians of all ages to live openly in a free society, WeHo LVC also has a Lesbian Health Agenda (LHA). Using their organization as a hub of information, WeHo LVC will use their website to provide detailed information about resources and links to those resources related to cancer, addictions, obesity, domestic violence and HPV. Working with the state government and with sponsorship from the City of West Hollywood, WeHo LVC is positioning itself to be a major health resource for lesbians. There are frightening statistics being published from recent studies about the community’s growing health issues and dealing with these issues are at the forefront of LVC’s mission to provide support for the community. Remaining true to its title, the organization is highly visible during Gay/Lesbian Pride weekend in West Hollywood. This year they are sponsoring the 4th annual West Hollywood Dyke March, live performances on the main stage, outreach tables that will enlighten visitors to the table about their important work, an after party and the highly anticipated presentation of the annual Etheridge Award, established during last year’s weekend. Named after the legendary singer/songwriter and out lesbian, Melissa Etheridge, it is presented to a woman who exemplifies what it is to be a lesbian demonstrating strength of character and being a positive role model in today’s society. For more information about LVC, LHA and outreach support please visit: www.weholvc.org / www.myspace.com/weholvc and www.weho.org For more information about LVC please contact Denise Marsa, KeyMedia Group, (212) 243-4893, e-mail: info@keymediapublicrelations.com; www.KeyMediaPublicRelations.com