April 22–28 is Lesbian Visibility Week: a celebration of queer women’s achievements and a call to action. Lesbians have remained perennially underrepresented and underserved, but this holiday and increased lesbian-focused programming in South Florida suggest progress.
Founded in 2010, the Our Fund Foundation is a lifeline for South Florida nonprofits that serve the LGBTQ+ community. Under the leadership of President/CEO David Jobin since 2015, the Our Fund Foundation has fostered programming by and for queer women by awarding grants to queer woman-led and focused organizations, including Thinking Cap Theatre (TCT), Thou Art Woman (TAW)/ Black LGBTQ+ Liberation, Inc (Blinc), and Lesbian Thespians.
TCT, a professional theatre company, prioritizes gender and sexual equality in main stage programming every season, ensuring that 50% of the plays produced are women or LGBTQ+ authored. In June 2019, with the Our Fund Foundation’s support, TCT piloted “I’m Coming: A Performance Project,” which partnered professional theatre artists with local queer women to help them transform their coming out stories into original plays for public performance. TCT will soon launch a reading salon for queer women, and “I’m Coming” will return in early 2025.
TAW and Blinc are must-know queer woman-led organizations founded by visionaries Nik Harris and G Wright. Founded in 2014, TAW is an event series that honors and unites LGBTQ+ women through the visual and performing arts. TAW’s most recent open mic and performance event, “Love & Lust,” was a joyous, sold-out success. Blinc, founded in 2021, provides programming and guidance to the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community on health and wellness and financial literacy.
Lesbian Thespians, a community group led by Artistic Director Carol Wartenberg, has garnered a significant following with its eclectic programming, including notable plays, story slams, concerts, and tea dances. Catch their next production, “The Boxes We Keep,” in July.
There’s also Ronnie Larsen’s Women of Wilton (WOW), which launched in August 2023 with a critically acclaimed run of the landmark lesbian work, “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.” Recently, WOW produced Bayla Travis’ comedic fantasy, “The Dyke and the Porn Star.” Look for a possible revival this June.
Enhancing its history of diverse LGBTQ+ programming, Island City Stage is presenting “Pulp,” a play with music inspired by 1950s lesbian novels and old Hollywood style. It runs through May 5. For tickets, visit https://www.islandcitystage.org/ or call 954-928-9800.
