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Pride, Progress & the Price of Visibility
- Lika Torline
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 24
Being a Lesbian Business Owner in 2025
Pride isn’t just a month. It’s not just a rainbow sticker in a shop window or a hashtag on a trending page. For many of us in the LGBTQ+ community, Pride is a declaration of survival—a daily choice to live authentically in a world that hasn’t always welcomed us.
For gay business owners, that choice can be especially complex. Sometimes, visibility feels like a risk we can’t afford.
Coming Out, Unplanned
My own coming out wasn’t some carefully timed moment of joy and celebration. It happened during a heated argument about a gay friend. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t feel ready. But I knew I had to speak up for her, and in doing so, I revealed something about myself. That one moment cracked open a truth I had been holding tightly, and life changed from there.
I’ve been lucky to have a support system—chosen family, friends, and eventually even my parents, who came around in their own time. But business is a different story. Love doesn’t always translate to revenue. And for many years, I made a conscious decision to downplay or even hide my identity professionally. Not because I was ashamed, but because I simply couldn’t afford the risk.
Out, But Quiet—At First
There was a time when being too visibly gay could mean losing customers, losing vendors, losing income. I had to make hard choices between being myself and keeping my small business afloat. That’s a reality many LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs still face, especially in states like mine where protections aren’t always guaranteed, and where current political shifts have made many of us feel newly vulnerable.
What Visibility Looks Like Now
But here’s what’s different now: I can afford to be out. Financially, yes—but emotionally too. I’ve built something real. I’ve created a business rooted in care, community, and consciousness. And today, I’m not just proudly lesbian—I’m certified. This January, In The Weeds became nationally recognized by the NGLCC (National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce), and that certification means more than just a badge. It means we’re seen, we’re supported, and we’re ready to uplift others.
Why LGBTQ+ Visibility Still Matters
This visibility matters more than ever. It’s for:
• The queer teen walking through a farmers market, looking for a sign they belong.
• The customer scanning the shelves and wondering if someone like them is behind the brand.
• The closeted business owner still weighing their truth against their survival.
My message to them is simple: Yes, you can build something real and live fully. But yes, it’s still hard.
We live in a time when LGBTQ+ rights are still being questioned. Trans youth are under attack. Health care access is being rolled back. Books are being banned. Queer families are being erased from lesson plans.
And yet—we show up.
Pride is Protest, and Business is Activism
Being a lesbian entrepreneur means navigating all of that and still finding a way to serve your community. It means creating jobs, fostering joy, and fighting for inclusion in every candle, every cream, every product label.
Pride is important—because someone, somewhere still believes they’re better off dead than being who they are. If my business can be a light for even one person, then every challenge has been worth it.
So here I am. Out. Certified. Growing. Rooted in love and radical visibility.
And always, always—in the weeds with you. 🌿
About the Author
Lika Torline is the founder of In The Weeds Premium Botanical Products, a lesbian- and woman-owned botanical skincare line committed to natural, intentional, and inclusive self-care. Her products can be found online and at local Texas markets.
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