In January 2025 The Curve Archive held an open call for digital submissions for our This Is What A Lesbian Looks Like photography contest! We proudly followed the legacy of representation, self-expression, and creativity found in Curve magazine's lesbian life photo contests. We're happy to report that this is our third year reviving the photo contest and the submissions are as creative and joyful as ever. 

We invited community members to submit photos expressing who they are and how they self-identify, letting folks title their photos by filling in the phrase “This Is What A ____ Looks Like.” We hoped this would let people know that — in addition to lesbians — queer women, trans, non-binary folks, and others should feel encouraged to participate and are welcome in our Curve community. We received fabulous descriptions and titles varying from “This is what eternal love looks like” to “This is what a 61-year-old androgynous, activist lesbian/dyke/queer looks like" to “This is what Phyllis Lyons and Del Martin at home look like.”

All of the submissions are proudly displayed in this digital exhibit in order of submission. 

To learn more about Curve magazine’s legacy of lesbian life photo contests, read the Curve Quarterly article about it at www.curvemag.com!