LesbianGlobal Champions LBQ Women’s Economic Empowerment at EL*C 2025 in Rome

From April 23 to 26, 2025, Rome became a powerful epicenter of lesbian solidarity and strategy. Nearly 800 lesbian activists from over 55 countries convened at the ELC (EuroCentralasian Lesbian Community) Conference — a historic gathering where ideas met action. One of the standout moments was the bold and visionary presentation by LesbianGlobal, titled "Hands On Lesbian Wallets! Harnessing Resources and Collaboration Towards an Economic Dykerise (Part 2)."

This session brought together global voices to reimagine what economic empowerment can look like when led by and for LBQ women.

LesbianGlobal's Commitment to Economic Empowerment for LBQ Women

Founded by Naomi Fine and Kathy Levinson, LesbianGlobal has quickly positioned itself as a leader in closing economic and funding gaps faced by LBQ women globally. At EL*C 2025, their session wasn’t just another panel — it was a rallying cry for structural change.

Their presentation focused on:

• Developing economic systems that serve lesbian communities, not exclude them.

• Leveraging AI tools to uncover the missing data about LBQ women's economic realities.

• Using this data to attract funding, improve access to capital, and guide strategic investments in lesbian-led initiatives.

LesbianGlobal also shared insights from their global partnerships — spotlighting how they’ve supported grassroots lesbian groups to collect and interpret economic data, turning insights into funding strategies and action.

A Call to Reclaim Space, Reshape the Economy

The session, facilitated by Dragana Todorović, Executive Director of EL*C, was packed with powerful voices — including M.V. Lee Badgett, a respected economist and co-founder of Koppa – The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab. Alongside Fine and Levinson, speakers like Mari Kurtanidze, Dušanka Tomašević, and members of Brussels’ iconic Crazy Circle bar offered community-led solutions and lived experiences of economic resistance and creativity.

The panel emphasized:

• Creating an economic networking platform for LBQ women globally.

• Amplifying examples of sustainable lesbian businesses and activist-led initiatives.

• Highlighting economic tools and models rooted in feminist, anti-capitalist, and intersectional values.

Kathy Levinson, Co-founder LesbianGlobal at the EL*C Conference

From Insight to Impact: Tools, Tech, and Solidarity

This session was not theoretical — it was about action. LesbianGlobal and partners pushed for:

• Practical tools for LBQ entrepreneurs

• Cross-border collaboration between funders and community organizers

• Using technology (especially AI) to power visibility and evidence-based funding decisions.

Naomi Fine, Co-founder LesbianGlobal at the EL*C Conference

A Historic Dyke March and Unshaken Resolve

Beyond panels, the EL*C 2025 conference culminated in Italy’s first-ever Dyke March, despite attempts to suppress visibility. Originally set for the center of Rome, the march faced last-minute restrictions due to a state and church event. Undeterred, over 700 lesbian activists gathered in a remote square — and marched anyway.

Dancing, chanting, and waving banners against injustice, these activists claimed space — loudly and proudly.

Participants at the Dyke March in Rome

The Future Is Dykerise

At EL*C 2025, the message was loud and clear: LBQ economic empowerment is no longer a side conversation — it's the strategy.  With leaders like LesbianGlobal at the forefront and a growing movement of tech-savvy, justice-driven, community-rooted lesbians behind them, the future looks defiantly bright.

This is what dyke-rise looks like.