“This is not a protest march,” the flier declares for the upcoming–and hopefully annually celebrated–Dyke March, which will mark its inaugural trek on May 17.

Organizers were inspired by the ongoing events of Women’s History Month, celebrated over the course of March, which heightened the group’s awareness in regards to history and the many women, lesbian or otherwise, who have helped females achieve a higher status of equality. And in this spirit, it is about celebrating.

For organizer Denise Penn, a Dyke March seemed to be the perfect way to celebrate not just history, but Long Beach’s upcoming Pride celebration.

“The first official Dyke March in the United States was organized by lesbians in April of 1993 in Washington D.C. and coincided with the National March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Equal rights and Liberation and drew thousands of women together,” Penn explained.

Appropriating a word that was long viewed as a derogatory slur, the goal of the march was not only empowerment, but simple visibility. Soon, Dyke Marches spread throughout major cities in the country, from San Francisco to Seattle, New York to Chicago. And in honor of the 20th anniversary of that first one in DC, Long Beach has opted to have its own.  

“We are proud to say that Long Beach is fortunate to have many lesbian community leaders,” said Penn. “Women have come to understand that discrimination based on ones perceived gender is an issue that is systemic to the oppression of LGBTQ people. The recent reactionary effort to control women’s rights in regard to reproduction has brought this to the forefront: no one should control our bodies and no one should discriminate because of who we are or who we love.”

In this vein, the Dyke March is not just relegated to lesbian or bisexual women, or even just women period. It is open to anyone who believes that the contributions of women are essential to both our community’s and our society’s growth.

“Moving forward, many Long Beach lesbians, while embracing their LGBTQ community, want to celebrate as women,” Penn continued, echoing a sense of pride within female identity.

The 1st Annual Long Beach Dyke March will take place on May 17 at 6:30PM.

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