by Jeanine K. Reisbig for the San Francisco Spectrum

SF DYKE MARCH 2004
By Jeanine K. Reisbig

"The SF Dyke March exercises the First Amendment to the fullest extent of its strength, because dyke rights are human rights." So notes Jane Philomen Cleland, Dyke March photographer and a Dyke March organizer since its beginnings in 1993 at the National March on Washington.

Dyke Marchers, 1998 photo by Cathy Cade – www.cathycade.com

Join tens of thousands of lesbians at Dolores Park Saturday, June 26 for an energetic SF Dyke March Rally–several hours of music, dancing, poetry, masks, theatrical commentary and speeches by, for and about SF’s generations of lesbians. Themed "UPROOTING RACISM" as an action and goal, Dyke March Rally events are multicultural, diverse, full of cultural education, fun, self expression and political awareness that are part and process of the umbrella of this passionate gathering.

This years Dyke March Rally Emcees are Tina and Zulma who will introduce many long time lesbian community favorites. Performers such as Gwen Avery (powerhouse vocalist), poetry/spoken word artists Elana Dykewoman, Jewelle Gomez, Alfia Walking Tree the burlesque of Harlem Shake, the erotic quiver of belly dancers Raks Al Tasneem, femme diva Happy Hyder, Frankie and the Frankettes, Ida Red, Omeyocan and many more fresh lesbian performing artists at kick off the Dolores Park festivities 3 PM Saturday June 26.

Not to be missed are community members with their own street theatre–past Dyke March Rallies have included groups of lesbians dressed in Jodie Foster masks wearing Tee shirts stating "Nobody knows I am a lesbian" and more recently, participants whose Tee shirts proclaimed "Condolezzie Rice". Given the political action for and backlash against recent lesbian/gay marriages in Massachusetts, San Francisco and other states, as well as the greater media coverage of the follies behind the debacle of President Bush’s war in Iraq, there will be plenty of fodder for energetic Dyke March Rally participants to express themselves about. This signature lesbian event is for all women and promises to be even more vigorous than the previous eleven Dyke March rallies.

The 12^th Annual San Francisco Dyke March begins at 7 PM, leaving from Dolores Park. Led by Dykes on Bikes (AKA the Women’s Motorcycle Contingent)and reflecting that dyke rights are human rights, the SF Dyke March will proceed as it traditionally has--- without permission, and without permits. At 16^th and Dolores, the March stops to greet and pay homage to the old and disabled dykes in their special seating section.

Passing through the Mission and Castro districts as many as 50,000 women march–and this is a police estimate figure, a group whose statistics are generally known to be conservative. Chanting loudly in groups, contingents with signs as well as small groups and individuals advocate dyke rights as human rights, equality, peace and justice on the eve before Gay Pride Day. Men may encourage the women from the sidelines but not join the march. When the Dyke March ends up in the Castro, everyone may participate in the dance party that follows.

Why is the San Francisco Dyke March so unique, inspiring and desirable? It’s a great place to see lots of hot lesbians, connect with old friends, make new ones, express yourself, become informed and support progressive politics. It’s also one of the few distinctively lesbian /women’s spaces left from the 70’s and 80’s, when many political lesbian/feminist collectives all over the U.S. that spawned coffee houses, clinics, political action groups and more. The obvious scarcity of lesbian only spaces in San Francisco makes the Dyke March all the more valuable to lesbians and women identified women.

Long time SF Dyke March photographer/activist Cathy Cade reflects " The safety I experience at the Dyke March allows me to feel the lack of safety I experience other days of the year."

For those who wish a preview of this years SF Dyke March, be sure to view the exhibit of Dyke March Photos by photographers Jane Philomen Cleland and Cathy Cade, on exhibit at SF’s Main Library, James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center, 3^rd Floor. From May 15 to July 15, 2004, with photos, artifacts and a 15 minute video.

This show features beautiful color photos by Jane — her images of past Dyke Marches range from living room sized 8 by 10’s to dramatic 24 by 24 inch prints. Cathy’s prints are classic black and white made all the more dimensional with selective hand coloring on many of the images. These two lesbians are long time documentary and community photographers whose images make fine art out of cultural expression. All images are archival and their message eternal, thanks to the use of non digital standard film technology.

Along with her Dyke March photos shown here, the work of Jane Philomen Cleland includes published photos of Act Up!, Queer Nation and BACOAR (Bay Area’s pro-choice organization for abortion rights/clinic defense) as well as photographing regularly for SF’s Bay Area Reporter news paper. Cathy Cade began documenting the Women’s Liberation Movement and the Lesbian Feminist Movement in the early 1970’s. In the past 32 years, Cathy’s work showcases lesbian mothering, old lesbians, peace marches, women and work, women and unions, and LGBT events and parades.

Additions to the Dyke March photography show are Tee shirts from various years of the SF Dyke March and wonderful hats made by men in prison to atone for crimes towards women for disabled dykes to wear in their special seating section near Congregation Sha’ar Zahav while viewing the SF Dyke March. SF Dyke March photos and these additions are interspersed with written statements from various years SF Dyke March rallies–inspirational, and consistent with the anti-war, anti-imperialist, pro-dyke themes the SF Dyke March espouses. Jane and Cathy view this current show of their SF Dyke March photos as the precedent for a larger exhibit they wish to develop funds for and stage at the SF Lesbian /Gay Historical society in Spring 2005.

Together, Cathy Cade and Jane Philomen Cleland have fifty years of wonderful photographs and this Dyke March exhibit gives everyone a chance to see a few of their best. Anyone who would like to meet the artists is invited to the reception on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6, from 2 to 4 PM each day at SF’s Main Library, James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center, 3^rd Floor.

How did the SF Dyke March start?? SF’s Dyke March, an annual event since 1993, has now inspired other Dyke Marches in the following cities: Boston, Buffalo NY, Chapel Hill NC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Orange County CA, Philadelphia, San Diego,Santa Cruz, Seattle, Stockholm, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington DC. It all began just before the April 1993 National March on Washington.

A group of San Francisco women from SF Act Up!, Prairie Fire and Women Against Imperialism attending that march felt there would be little content relevant to lesbians, so they put the word out to their network of contacts about a Dyke March the Saturday night before the main April 1993 March on Washington. The grand starting point for the proposed Dyke March was to be in Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle.

What occurred was a marvel. According to Lisa Roth, one of the group of San Francisco lesbians proposed this first Dyke March & organized it, this is what happened.

" We were thinking that a….successful Dyke March would have a thousand people. No one was more surprised than us when 20,000 people showed up…we had brought 1 bull-horn on the airplane from San Francisco… and the cops (at the march)…the cops like…died. They were so freaked out. I think the cops thought ‘we will push them …(the lesbians)… around’. The reason we know there were 20,000 people is that is what the newspaper said the next day. "

"This was the first Dyke March, in the streets, without a permit, and as it was planned in San Francisco by San Francisco lesbians from a Washington DC map who had no idea how long DC blocks were---we thought the blocks in Washington DC would be like San Francisco blocks–short!" This un-anticipated turn of events made for a very lengthy, energetic, huge march and a massively fun time for all involved.

After this, everyone from San Francisco who had been at the DC Dyke March remained in touch and decided to have an SF Dyke March here the night before the Gay Pride Parade. With their backgrounds in organizing feminist, anti-war and anti-racism projects, the first few SF Dyke Marches revolved around a rally and speakers from a sound truck in the Castro.

Following the DC Dyke March of 20,000, there was no fee to attend and no permit solicited by SF Dyke March organizers from the beginning, who soon realized they needed a bigger venue than Castro Street could provide the night before Gay Pride Day. Not wanting to compete with the LGBT Film Festival, and knowing that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence charged a nominal admittance fee to get into Pink Saturday festivities, the SF Dyke March Rally moved to Dolores Park in the mid 90’s and began to evolve in the event it is today.

Now put on by Damn Lesbian Productions, named after the term longtime North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms used to refer to Roberta Achtenberg, the move to Dolores Park worked out splendidly for everyone. Speakers have included National Gay/Lesbian Task Force chair Urvashi Vaid, noted lesbian author Dorothy Allison, as well as Ruth Ellis–a 102 year old lesbian who spoke at the Dyke March the year the SF Gay Film Festival premiered a documentary about her.

Each year a mass breast self exam is held. A speaker from the stage leads all women–tens of thousands of them-- in the audience, in a step by step breast self exam. This happens with or without shirts, according to each individual woman. For any lesbians with doctor’s office phobia, this proves, oh joy!!! That preventive medicine and ecstasy are NOT mutually exclusive. Meanwhile, any audience members that may be confused as to what to do can watch and follow along while lesbians on stage assist the speaker with demonstrations.

All dykes and women loving women are welcome at the SF Dyke March. Lisa Roth reflects. "We have put a lot of time, energy and money into creating disabled access and access for old dykes. We have vans that go from the Hoff Street Garage to Dolores Park, then to the special seating at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav at 16^th and Dolores. We are the only Dyke March in the country that does this. It is fantastic. It is shocking how much things are not made available to disabled people. We have found out that when you make the services available to the disabled and to the old gals they really come."

Along with their traditions of having a sign language interpreter, these support services for disabled and old dykes, and not getting a permit, the SF Dyke March does not accept corporate sponsorship. All monies to fund this event come from the sales of Tee shirts, bearing the logo of the current year’s SF Dyke March theme. Since its beginning in 1993, Alliance Graphics, a fund raising component of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, has provided the SF Dyke March with high quality, union made Tee shirts up to size XXXXX.

Each year the SF Dyke March Tee shirts are both a political statement and a work of art. The fee for these Tee shirts is sliding scale with a minimum of $15.00. To buy an SF Dyke March Tee shirt and support this great event, stop off at 18^th and Castro any weekend before June 26.

Refusing to accept corporate funds ensures that SF Dyke March annual exercise of free speech will remain just that. The power of SF Dyke March is reflected in their Mission Statement:

We will never go back
We won’t go back in the closet
We won’t cave in to threats and violence
We won’t roll over for the right wing
We won’t give up our children
We won’t attack immigrants
No Retreat!!

We fight for freedom, for power, for sisterhood, for love, for control of our bodies, for self defense, for dignity, for human rights, for our children, for joy, for liberation for sex, for equality, for justice, for our lives, for all women forever!!

For more information on the SF Dyke March, go to www.dykemarch.org and click on San Francisco.

For specific information on 2004 SF Dyke March Special Needs Services, leave a message at (510) 383-9858.

For the hours of the Dyke March Photo Show at the SF Main Library, on view until July 15, in the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center, 3^rd Floor, call (415) 557-4400.

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