PHOTOESSAY: San Francisco Dyke March 2017

“Dyke is not just a sexual orientation. It’s a political identity. It stands for community. It stands for solidarity. It stands for radical fight. It stands for trans*, black, brown, queer, bisexual, lesbian, disabled, chronically ill, fat, femme, butch, indigenous, gender expansive love. It does not stand by erasure. By displacement. By appropriation. By hate.” — Dyke March

Dyke March is a 25-year-old tradition. Organizers have redefined their definition of “dyke identity to include those of us who are questioning and challenging gender constructs and the social definitions of women: transdyke, MTF, transfeminine, transmasculine, genderqueer, and gender fluid dykes.”

And if you don’t identify with the word, that’s totally fine! Regardless, it’s one day where people who do identify with it finally get the freedom to take up space.

On that note, I do love the dyke march. I just don’t really like the party in Dolores Park beforehand. As the website reads, “let us have this one day to celebrate our identities and honor the civil rights struggles that came before us and those yet to come. This is not an excuse to have a party.” We still have a long way to go before Dolores Park isn’t over run by partying “allies” on the day of the Dyke March.

(Another note: Maybe don’t get drunk and shove us out of the way the one day we set aside to celebrate ourselves and our community.)

All that being said, the march itself was beautiful. As the march was a dyke-only space this year (also open to all women who want to support dykes), male allies were asked to support from the sidelines. And to my surprise, most listened!

Here’s a view from the frontlines of this year’s Dyke March in San Fransisco.

Dykes on Bikes

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Molly

Molly Adams is an LA-based photographer. You can find documenting life from Afghanistan to Standing Rock to the LA queer nightlife. You can also find her on Instagram.

Molly has written 59 articles for us.

20 Comments

  1. “Maybe don’t get drunk and shove us out of the way the one day we set aside to celebrate ourselves and our community.”

    Yes! I totally did get shoved out of the way, but was also super moved by the allies standing off to the side, showing love and support without taking up space. Regardless, the March had so much good energy. I’ll never stop being in love with Dykes on Bikes.

  2. Beautiful pictures, as usual. Your work is amazing
    Nice to see some campers there too.

  4. i swear i met the dyke with the “this is what an old lesbian looks like” t-shirt in Melbourne…….I can kind of believe she’d travel all the way to san francisco for the dyke march. what a legend. even if it’s not the same person, what a legend.

    • I met her at the BART station–her name is Artie! She and her wife met in Australia when Artie was visiting for a short while. I don’t remember if they live there now and were back to visit because one of them is from California or if they ended up moving here.

    • I sat next to an old lesbian on the disability bus at Edinburgh Pride and she’d been to Pride all around the world. Maybe it is the same lady.

    • I loved all these faces pictured but especially that one with the “OLD LESBIAN” t-shirt

  6. “Every single dyke in the great mosaic of dykes,” I LOVE that!!!!

    Awesome photos, looked like an amazing experience!! Maybe I’ll participate in NYC’s dyke march next year (I didn’t have the energy for the march this year and I doubt I will next year either).

  9. Such beautiful pictures! These people radiate so much joy and pride. Having only ever lived in tiny rural towns, I hope to one day attend something like this. Until then, photo essays like this are like double fudge brownie ice cream with extra chocolate to me.

  10. Great pics! Love the political aspect of the word “dyke,” I will start using it that way from now on!

  12. I had to miss the dyke march for my first time since moving to the Bay Area to go to a family-centric super straight wedding, and I’ve been all sorts of sad about it. Thank you for this photo essay and bringing me back home!

  13. i was at dolores park all day but i couldn’t stay for the march but it looks like the best of times. so much love! look at all those dykes!!

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