Our campaigns: Guaranteed Livable Income is a lesbian issue

Our collective has been participating with the BC Women’s Alliance in a campaign called #WomenDemand Guaranteed Livable Income. 

A Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) is a universal, individually-provided, publicly funded income set at a livable rate and given to all on an unconditional basis. It’s fundamentally different from Employment Insurance and Welfare because you are not required to have had a job, look for work, deplete all your savings, or prove absolute poverty before you can get it. It’s automatic because you are alive and need money to live. It’s more secure and less intrusive and is one way of addressing the imbalance of power and wealth in our society that often leaves women and others in poverty. 

You might ask, why would a collective by and for lesbians take up advocacy for a Guaranteed Livable Income? Here are five reasons this issue is important to the Vancouver Lesbian Collective.

1. We don’t have a man’s income in the household.

Women make less money on average than men, and we’re often segregated in lower-paying female-dominated professions. In a heterosexual marriage or cohabitation, men often contribute more money to the household resources than women. As lesbians, we don’t have a man contributing to the household costs or topping up our lower average female incomes. A Guaranteed Livable Income can provide us with the economic security we can’t achieve through work or family, making it more possible to live a lesbian life.

2. We don’t want to be subject to sexual harassment and discrimination at work. 

Just like all women, we don’t want to put up with the sexually harassing boss, coworker, or customer. We don’t want to accept discriminatory work conditions. We don’t want to tolerate unfair, demeaning, or exploitative employment. A Guaranteed Livable Income can provide the resources we need to say no.

3. We’re not just lesbians. We’re also feminists. And we want all women to have the freedom to choose their sexual and bodily boundaries.

Most women are not lesbians. And men usually have more economic power than women. This contributes to the ability of men to be coercive, controlling, and violent. Many women face a choice between prostitution and poverty, or a sexual relationship with a man and being able to care for her children. We don’t think those are real choices. A Guaranteed Livable Income can make real choice about sexual and bodily autonomy more possible for all women.

4. Lesbians have the same social and caretaking roles as other women.

Think of the AIDS crisis and the work of lesbians on the frontlines, caring for gay men. Think of the lesbian aunties, whether blood-relations or not, who pitch in for childcare or who are there in a crisis. 

In times of crisis, like a global pandemic, women are asked to be flexible about our time and income to care for others, but this often comes at a cost to us. A Guaranteed Livable Income can give us the time we need to care for others in our lives without suffering the economic penalty that so often comes with unpaid work.  

5. We’re lesbian feminists and we recruit!

We support the autonomous organizing of lesbians in our own interests. Between lesbian bashing, lower wages, sexual harassment, rape, prostitution, battery, the undue burden of the world’s caring responsibilities, …… whoa! We have a lot that needs to change in this world! A Guaranteed Livable Income can give us the time, economic security, and resources we need to organize on behalf of ourselves, other lesbians, and all women.

To find out more about Guaranteed Livable Income, go to BC Women’s Alliance and the Pictou Statement.

#WomenDemand Guaranteed Livable Income

On May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2021 our members joined women around the province in dropping banners to inspire public debate on the BC Women’s Alliance year-long campaign #WomenDemand Guaranteed Livable Income.

We are proud members of the BC Women’s Alliance, a province-wide coalition of women and feminist groups working together to reveal, record and fight the forces working against women. Learn more about the action at http://bcwomensalliance.ca/index.html.

Basic income week - September 20-26 2021

BC Women’s Alliance continues our campaign #WomenDemand Guaranteed Livable Income during International Basic Income Week 2021.

Support the campaign by listening to our podcasts, c0-hosted by our member Jacqueline:

May 1 ,2021

As part of the BC Women’s Alliance year-long campaign #WomenDemand Guaranteed Livable Income, over 20 banners were visible in towns & cities across the province, and we secured good coverage in local press around the province.

Learn more about the action at
http://bcwomensalliance.ca/index.html.