Dyke





The words dyke, dike, bulldyke or similar, commonly refer to a lesbian, particularly one with masculine or butch traits (although femmes can also be dykes ). The word is commonly considered a derogatory slur, but has been reclaimed and used positively by some lesbians. Dyke is sometimes also used as an identity for non-lesbians, such as bisexuals.

Notable nonbinary or genderqueer people who call themselves dykes include poet Eileen Myles, entrepreneur Al Sandimirova , and author Rivers Solomon.

In the 2019 Gender Census, 17 people (0.2% percent of respondents) wrote "dyke" as their identity, and one wrote "bulldyke".

History
The etymology of "dyke" is uncertain. Some hypotheses for its origin include:
 * A shortening of hermaphrodite.
 * Boudicca (Bou-dyke-ah), a Celtic queen who organized a revolt against the Roman Empire in 67 AD.
 * From the slang term "get diked out" meaning "dress up".
 * In the 19th century, "dike" was a slang term for the vulva.
 * 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".