Editing Dyke

{{Content warning|reclaimed slurs, potentially offensive terms, and genital anatomy}}
[[File:DC DYKE MARCH IMG 0004a (48034606636).jpg|thumb|A photo from the 2019 DC Dyke March. The banner says "All Dykes Celebrated Here" and lists many types of dykes including [[queer]] dykes, black dykes, [[bisexual|bi]] dykes, [[butch]] dykes, [[femme]] dykes, [[gnc]] dykes, latinx dykes, [[trans]] dykes, etc.]]

[[File:DC DYKE MARCH IMG 9994a (48034503686).jpg|thumb|A [[nonbinary]] person at the 2019 DC Dyke March.]]

[[File:Pittsburgh Dyke and Trans March 2018.jpg|thumb|A photo of the 2018 Pittsburgh Dyke and Trans March. A [[genderfluid]] flag is visible behind the main banner.]]
The words '''dyke''', '''dike''', '''bulldyke''' or similar, commonly refer to a [[lesbian]], particularly one with [[masculine]] or [[butch]] traits (although [[femme]]s can also be dykes<ref name="dykemarch">{{cite tweet|user=bigbadbutchh|number=1296038472982003712|title=like fr look at this dyke march|date=19 August 2020|archive-url=http://archive.is/m2mrT|archive-date=19 August 2020}}</ref>). The word is commonly considered a derogatory slur, but has been reclaimed and used positively by some lesbians.<ref>https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dyke [https://web.archive.org/web/20230623160555/https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Dyke Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref name="Krantz">{{cite journal|title=Reconsidering the Etymology of Bulldike|year=1995|last=Krantz|first=Susan E.|journal=American Speech: A Quarterly of Linguistic Usage |url=https://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=engl_facpubs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617042831/https://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=engl_facpubs|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Dyke is sometimes also used as an identity for non-lesbians, such as [[bisexual]]s or [[pansexual]]s.<ref name="dykemarch" /><ref name="dcdykemarch">{{Cite web |title=About Us |author= |work=DC Dyke March |date= |access-date=5 March 2021 |url= https://www.dcdykemarch.com/about-us/ |quote=Dyke March is an inclusive community consisting of, but not limited to, black dykes, brown dykes, Latinx, Trans, Two-Spirit, Pan, Bi, Poly, Non-Binary, Disabled, Sex worker, fat, poor, young and old dykes. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330214426/https://www.dcdykemarch.com/about-us/ |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

Dyke is not a label exclusive to [[Women|binary women]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/sfdykemarch/posts/10156614228659306|title=To our community, we want to reiterate our support of ALL dyke identities including transdyke, MTF, transfeminine, transmasculine, genderqueer, and gender fluid dykes.|date=25 June 2018|website=Facebook|author=The San Francisco Dyke March|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719113436/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsfdykemarch%2Fposts%2F10156614228659306|archive-date=19 July 2023|access-date=2 December 2020|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> Notable [[nonbinary]] or [[genderqueer]] people who call themselves dykes include poet [[Eileen Myles]]<ref name="gqd">{{cite tweet|title=@DeJesusSaves @rugamarspr plus as a gender queer dyke I am trans|date=February 24, 2016|user=EileenMyles|number=702569073884811264}}</ref>, entrepreneur [[Al Sandimirova]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Costs of Identity: Running a business as an LGBTQ+ person |author= |work=Chasing the Dream |date=10 February 2020 |access-date=3 October 2020 |url= https://www.pbs.org/wnet/chasing-the-dream/stories/automic-gold-an-lgbtq-business-success-story/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704175142/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/chasing-the-dream/stories/automic-gold-an-lgbtq-business-success-story/ |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>, and author [[Rivers Solomon]].<ref>[https://www.riverssolomon.com/bio Rivers Solomon bio] [https://web.archive.org/web/20230603051930/https://www.riverssolomon.com/bio Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>

"Global Dyke Day" was celebrated on June 27 of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Dyke Day! |author= |work=Villa Vida |date= |access-date=5 April 2023 |url= https://villavida.at/event/global-dyke-day/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925015255/https://villavida.at/event/global-dyke-day/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

==Gender Census==
In the 2019 [[Gender Census]], 17 people (0.2% percent of respondents) wrote "dyke" as their identity, and one wrote "bulldyke".<ref name="Gender Census 2019">{{Cite web |title=Gender Census 2019 - the public spreadsheet |author=Cassian |date=30 March 2019 |url= https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ePCyWMdorSHAaxNcd1Iv64oLvkdgeoZldTdGZZTHlvY/edit#gid=498446722|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522223529/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ePCyWMdorSHAaxNcd1Iv64oLvkdgeoZldTdGZZTHlvY/edit |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref>

In the 2020 Gender Census, 89 respondents identified as a dyke, with an additional six people identifying as "dyke (in relation to gender)"/"dykegender"/"dyke-gender"/"dyke is my gender tbh", and several more as variants such as "dykeish", "dykefag", "[[boi]] dyke", "non-binary dyke", etc.<ref name="GC2020">[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j7mwkZVtQYHxNlgS2J8onVCpVz-l1aJbBzG7msN5rxs/edit#gid=260963482 GC2020 Public Copy], 1 November 2020 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230603184501/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j7mwkZVtQYHxNlgS2J8onVCpVz-l1aJbBzG7msN5rxs/edit Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>

==Etymology==
The etymology of "dyke" is uncertain. Some hypotheses for its origin include:
*A shortening of [[hermaphrodite]].<ref name="Belge">{{Cite web |title=What is the origin of the word "Dyke"? |last=Belge |first=Kathy |work=LiveAbout |date=14 July 2017 |access-date=15 October 2020 |url= https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-dyke-2171262 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331195238/https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-dyke-2171262 |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref><ref name="etymonline">{{Cite web |title=dyke (n.) |author= |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |date= |access-date=15 October 2020 |url= https://www.etymonline.com/word/dyke|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320123027/https://www.etymonline.com/word/dyke|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>
*Boudicca (Bou-dyke-ah), a Celtic queen who organized a revolt against the Roman Empire in 67 AD.<ref name="Belge" />
*From the slang term "get diked out" meaning "dress up".<ref name="Belge" />
*In the 19th century, "dike" was a slang term for the vulva.<ref name="etymonline" />
*From the terms "bulldicker"/"bulldick", meaning "fake penis" or "fake man", describing the idea of "a woman with a clitoris extended enough to serve as a penis in lesbian relationships".<ref name="Krantz" />

==Dyke Marches==
A "Dyke March" is a visibility and protest march, much like a Pride parade. The concept began in the early 1980s, with a "Dykes in the Streets" march taking place in Toronto, Ontario in October 1981. It was organized by the now-defunct organization Lesbians Against the Right, and drew 350 participants.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lesbians Battle the Right|url=https://archive.org/details/bodypolitic77toro/page/10|work=The Body Politic|page=10|date=October 1981|publisher=Pink Triangle Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501194419/https://archive.org/details/bodypolitic77toro/page/10|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Marushka|first1=Anna|title=Dykes Against the Right|url=https://archive.org/details/bodypolitic78toro/page/n13|work=The Body Politic|page=13|date=November 1981|publisher=Pink Triangle Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621194545/https://archive.org/details/bodypolitic78toro/page/n13|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

The first Dyke March named as such took place in Washington, DC, USA, on April 24, 1993, during the [[wikipedia:March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation|March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation]].<ref name=Cogswell>{{cite web|last=Cogswell|first=Kelly|title=The Dyke March Hits 20!|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-cogswell/the-dyke-march-hits-20_b_1524540.html|website=The Huffington Post|date=May 18, 2012|accessdate=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609001451/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-cogswell/the-dyke-march-hits-20_b_1524540.html|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> It was organized by the Lesbian Avengers, and had over 20,000 marchers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Teeman|first1=Tim|title=Tick-Tock: The Explosive Power of the Lesbian Avengers|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/tick-tock-the-explosive-power-of-the-lesbian-avengers|website=The Daily Beast|date=March 22, 2014|accessdate=3 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810113020/https://www.thedailybeast.com/tick-tock-the-explosive-power-of-the-lesbian-avengers|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Herstory — NYC Dyke March|url=https://www.nycdykemarch.com/herstory/|website=New York City Dyke March|date=2018|accessdate=3 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702033923/https://www.nycdykemarch.com/herstory|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

Nowadays, Dyke Marches take place during Pride Month in many cities across Canada, the USA, and Europe.

==Flags==
[[File:Dyke by ari-the-demigod.png|thumb|Dyke pride flag by ari-the-demigod.]]
A dyke pride flag was created in August 2018 or possibly earlier, by a deviantart user named ari-the-demigod.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beyond-mogai-pride-flags.tumblr.com/post/177449357405/dyke-an-identity-adopted-by-some-lesbian-and |date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/AYEzB |archive-date=25 June 2021|title=Dyke: an identity adopted by lesbian and sapphic people.|work=Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags|author=ab}}</ref> This flag has seven horizontal stripes: the top three in shades of blue, the middle stripe in grey, and the bottom three stripes in shades of red.
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[[File:Dyke flag.jpg|thumb|Dyke pride flag by Jace.]]
Another dyke pride flag was created in February 2020 by a tumblr user named Jace (urls disastergay, frostwitch, agenderwitch, and plantbutch). The black background stands for the "power, strength, and freedom that comes with reclaiming dyke", as well as representing "any and all black wlw and black nonbinary [[sapphic]]s who identify as dyke, as they have always been the backbone of this community." The purple stripe stands for reclaiming "dyke" from a violent slur into a positive identity label. The magenta stripe stands for unapologetic love of women. The pink stripe stands for acceptance of [[trans women]], as well as inner peace. The white labrys axe represents "empowerment, justice, and intolerance of bigotry".<ref>{{cite web |title=DYKE FLAG 🪓 👊 |date=21 February 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.is/MhVDe |url=https://disastergay.tumblr.com/post/190949261356/dyke-flag-so-it-was-brought-to-my-attention |archive-date= 19 March 2021 }}</ref>{{clear}}

[[File:Dyke flag by Catastrfy.png |thumb|Dyke pride flag by Catastrfy.]]
In October 2020, a person going by the online handle Catastrfy created another dyke flag. This flag has five horizontal stripes, which are blue (hex code #3e6aa9), white (#fefeff), golden brown (#c9a156), silver-gray (#c0c0c0), and black (#010100). The middle (golden brown) stripe is much narrower than the other four. Catastrfy said this about the flag's meaning:
{{quote|There are all sorts of Dykes, of course, but the ones I've crushed on and loved have been the black leather, blue jeans, white tshirts, silver keyrings, and gold jewelry type. The first four inspired the two top and two bottom stripes, while the narrow band of gold reminds me of a gold ring.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pride Flags |author=Catastrfy |work=catsnco.com |date= |access-date=6 February 2022 |url= http://www.catsnco.com/prideflags.html }}</ref>}}
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[[File:Dyke by Crow and the writer.jpg|thumb|Dyke pride flag by "Crow and the writer".]]
Another dyke pride flag was created in 2021 by headmates in a disabled Latine [[xenogender]] dyke collective,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/sol_v_diaz |title=sol_v_diaz Twitter bio|access-date=2 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125085735/https://twitter.com/sol_v_diaz|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Crow and the writer.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1635450261748559874|user=sol_v_diaz|title=NOTE: this flag was created by Crow & the writer of the body et al. (@bodyEtAl

) while closeted as plural|author=Sol Diaz/the Body et al.|date=05/13/2023|df=mdy}}</ref> Fae wrote that "This flag refers to dyke as a reclaimed slur as well as a multi faceted identity, encompassing [[orientation]], [[gender]] (ie dykegender), and culture."<ref>{{cite tweet|user=sol_v_diaz |number=1398301454675415042 |title=May I present: my new #dyke pride flag [...] This flag refers to dyke as a reclaimed slur as well as a multi faceted identity, encompassing orientation, gender (ie dykegender), and culture. (Keep reading for details and stripe meanings! 1/2)|date=28 May 2021|last=Diaz|first=Sol|access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref>

This flag has four horizontal stripes, which are black (hex code #000000), purple (#6d19a9), hot pink (#ff00ff), and gray (#6d6d6d). Fae gave the color meanings as follows:

{{quote|Black: Alienation, rebellion, [[agender|lack of gender]], the aro/ace spectrums, stone dykes, and [[butch]]es<br>
Purple: Mixed or masculine gender, masculinity and femininity, nonbinary & trans dykes, mspec dykes, and futches<br>
Pink: Queerness, feminine gender, femininity (including non-female femininity), womanood, love, WLW, and [[femme]]s<br>
Grey: Confusion, blurred identity, disconnect, greyro/grey ace spectrums, and those who identify with no or multiple gender presentations}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Identities]]
{{en-WP attribution notice|Dyke March}}