“There Was a Time When I Struggled with the Word ‘Lesbian’”
Interview with Vanessa Horne ACIM, Senior Marketing Manager at Miller Insurance Services LLP, in our first in a series of short articles on the importance of Lesbian Visibility Week
Miller Insurance Services is co-hosting a special screening of the film Saving Face with the Link Womxn’s Group on the 24th April. Some free tickets are still available here, but not many – so grab yours while you can.
We asked Vanessa Horne, Link’s liaison at Miller, why she’d chosen the film to mark Lesbian Visibility Week.
“Ninette Meyer chair of the Link Womxn’s Group and I had been chatting about ways to bring people together in a more relaxed setting – something outside of the usual bar scene or formal event – and her idea of a film screening really stood out,” Vanessa explains, adding: “At its heart, it’s about finding new and meaningful ways to build community.”
Saving Face is a romantic comedy that follows a young Chinese-American woman as she navigates her career, a closeted love life, and the expectations of her conservative family.
“It’s a heartfelt and funny film that brings warmth and lightness to a struggle many people can relate to,” Vanessa says.
It hasn’t always been easy for Vanessa to openly embrace a lesbian identity: “There was a time when I struggled with the word lesbian because of the negative associations and how it had been weaponised. But I’ve come to see the power in reclaiming language, and I think it’s incredibly important that the LGBTQ+ community continues to do that.”
Even now, Vanessa says she often uses the term “queer” to describe her sexual identity because she appreciates the “fluidity and openness” of the term.
“Hiding who I was felt safer than living openly”
Is this initial reluctance to embrace a lesbian identity the result of Vanessa’s experiences growing up?
“I grew up during the Section 28 era, a time when LGBTQ+ identities were largely erased from view. I think that lack of visibility had a deeper impact on me than I fully realised at the time,” Vanessa reflects. “My instinct back then was that hiding who I was felt safer than living openly. I now see how closely that mindset was shaped by the world around me.”
It wasn’t until people close to her came out, or she met others who were confidently and visibly out, that Vanessa began to feel more secure in openly sharing her own identity.
“That visibility played a hugely positive role in my journey,” she says, explaining why visibility is important. “I also believe that actively promoting LGBTQ+ visibility today is a powerful way to challenge lingering misinformation and stereotypes. It helps build understanding and gives people the tools to be better allies – especially to the lesbian community.”
Company policies should reflect “real inclusivity”
Vanessa adds that Miller has always been supportive of her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and she has been part of the company’s DEI efforts since they began in 2015. With that in mind, does Vanessa have strong ideas about how companies and business leaders can better support lesbians in the workplace?
“For me, it’s about embedding inclusive practices into every part of the organisation, and building a culture where lesbians feel genuinely supported, without needing to ask or disclose their identity to access that support,” Vanessa says.
“Take policies, for example: anti-discrimination statements should clearly reference both sexual orientation and gender identity. Benefits should reflect real inclusivity – from domestic partner coverage and equal parental leave for same-sex couples, to healthcare that includes fertility treatments and adoption support.”
Vanessa encourages firms to establish LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) where lesbians can connect, share experiences, and advocate for change. “These spaces should be available and welcoming, never mandatory, so that people can engage when they feel ready,” she says.
She also believes it’s important that organisations not only create platforms where people feel safe to share their views and ideas, but also truly listen to those views and respond with “meaningful action.”
And what goes for organisational leaders also goes for work colleagues and friends, Vanessa believes: “It’s about doing our part to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment – one where people feel valued for who they are, without being singled out or treated differently because of their sexuality.”
Inclusivity needs to come not only from outside the LGBTQ+ community, but from within it as well, Vanessa adds. “Lesbians can experience different forms of discrimination or microaggressions compared to others in the community and may look for different kinds of connection or support,” she says.
“That’s why it’s so important to ensure their voices are heard and to build spaces and support structures that are genuinely inclusive of their experiences.”
“Without visibility, harmful stereotypes can go unchallenged”
As individuals, it’s important that we all listen with an open mind, be willing to learn, and avoid making assumptions or relying on stereotypes. “Every person is unique,” Vanessa says, “so offer support the same way you would to anyone you genuinely care about.”
This is increasingly important to adhere to with the current backlash felt in some political and cultural circles against DEI and minority groups. “It’s a particularly challenging time for the LGBTQ+ community, and in many ways, it can feel like we’re moving backwards,” Vanessa admits.
She also points to signs of positive change, however. The more performative, box-ticking approach to DEI is fading, and even though some companies seem to be stepping back publicly, “meaningful work is still happening behind the scenes – work that aims not just to protect the progress we’ve made, but to keep pushing it forward,” she says.
“Our strength lies in our solidarity – we continue to fight for our community, for progress, and that collective energy remains incredibly powerful.”
Herein lies the importance of something like Lesbian Visibility Week, because “without visibility, harmful stereotypes can often go unchallenged,” and those within the lesbian community lose the chance to showcase their own diversity and intersectionality, and correct misconceptions.
“Most importantly, visibility can be a lifeline – finding your community can be transformative, even life-saving. And if we’re not visible, how will others know we’re here to find?”
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining Link for more great insights and events from the LGBTQ+ community
