In May we published a feature on Dyke March (you can read it here: http://planetlondonfeatures.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/dyke-march-2013.html). In follow up to this we are posting further information about Dyke March. If you're thinking of marching, read on and we hope to see you there!
When: Saturday 22 June @ 3pm
Where: Berkeley Square, London
What is Dyke March London?
Dyke March
London is about dykes. We support dyke visibility and celebrate our love and
passion for women and all dykes. Dyke March London is for everyone: dykes,
queers, bisexuals, transwomen and allies. This is a grassroots, non-commercial,
anti-racist, community-centred, accessible, inclusive event: we welcome all
folk who want to support dykes to march with us.
Why does the march have ‘dyke’ in its title?
The reason
we call ourselves a ‘dyke’ march and not a ‘lesbian’ (or other word) march, is
because we wanted to be part of the international movement of Dyke Marches held
across the United States (including San Francisco, New York, Calgary, Seattle,
Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Portland, San Diego,
Oakland, Minneapolis), Canada (including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver)
Mexico and previously in Stockholm. Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyke_March.
We welcome
all dykes, lesbians, bois, queers, andros, femmes, butches, inbetweenies,
lipstick lesbians, leather dykes, dandies, drag kings, bisexuals, transwomen
and their allies to join us at Dyke March London.
When is it happening?
The march
will be taking place on Saturday 22nd June, meeting at 3pm in Berkeley Square,
London, W1J 6. We'll be in the north-eastern corner of the Square, outside the
Green & Blacks.
Who will be speaking?
- Sue Sanders - founder of the UK's LGBT History and long-standing LGBT activist
- Femi Otitoju - founder of a diversity training consultancy and featured in the Independent on Sunday's Pink List
- Roz Kaveney - writer, critic, poet and deputy editor of META, a digital magazine by, about and for trans people
- Finn McGoldrick - National Union of Students LGBT Officer.
Will this be an accessible event?
Dyke March
London is committed to being an accessible event and we have done our utmost
within our resources to help the inclusion of disabled people:
- Disabled
people are invited to walk at the front, to set the pace for the rest of
the march.
- Two
manual wheelchairs and an accessible vehicle are available at the back of
the march for anyone who is tired or needs a lift.
- A BSL
signer will be signing during the speeches and will also be available at
the front when we are marching.
- We’re
planning for our stewards to receive accessibility training from the
fantastic LGBT disability charity Regard.
- A list
and map of accessible toilets will be made available on the day.
Please do
not hesitate to let our stewards (identifiable in high visibility vests) know
if you have any needs.
Why call it a dyke march if everyone is welcome?
Dyke March London is organised by and for
dykes. We don’t want to exclude our friends, family members, carers and other
allies – we feel power in them standing beside us, under a dyke banner, showing
their support for dykes. Dyke March London is different to an LGBTI march
because it is a dyke-centric event.
We envisage,
like last year, that the march will be overwhelmingly dominated by women and
will be self-identified dyke/woman-led, expect this would be the understanding
of our allies and anticipate this is how the march will present (again) on the
day.
Will there be a women-only space on the march?
Anyone who would like to organise a women’s
bloc is welcome, for example, to post a meeting time/place on Dyke March
London’s Facebook group wall for a woman’s bloc to gather and join the march.
There will
be no policing of gender or sexuality on the march, least of all due to the
diversity of dyke gender expression and presentation. In particular, we do not
want any women to be challenged on their right to be at Dyke March – whether
due to an androgynous, ambiguous, masculine or feminine (or other)
presentation.
Because our
focus is on dykes, we’re not actively seeking to involve men with the march,
but they are welcome if they want to march with us (as are all supporters of
dykes).
This is a
choice made at the very conception of Dyke March London. Unacceptable behaviour
by individuals (of any gender or sexuality) will not be tolerated – misogyny,
homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism and ageism have no place at this
event.
Is Dyke March London only aimed at Londoners?
Definitely not – and last year people travelled
from all over UK to march, as well as from the US and continental Europe to
march with us and one of the reasons Dyke March London is held on a weekend is
to support marchers from outside of London attending.
In
particular, we call ourselves Dyke March London in case dyke marches are
initiated in other UK cities – in which case a name like (say) Dyke March UK
would erroneously imply that the march in London was the UK’s most important or
representative dyke march.
Can I march as part of a group?
Yes – anyone who wishes to have a group or
organised presence at the march is welcomed to do so, and please feel free to
bring your banners and placards.
Yes – Dyke March London is family-friendly.
Who are the organisers?
The organisers are an (unpaid) collective of
women who loved last year’s first Dyke March in 20 years and want to see it
become an annual event. Our meetings are open to all, but Dyke March London
2013 remains a dyke-led, by-dykes, for-dykes event.
How is Dyke March London funded?
Dyke March London is an unsponsored event, we
are funded entirely by donations.
Why this march route?
The march route will take us through central
London for maximum visibility, and part follows in the footsteps of one of
the Suffragette marches for the 1908 Votes for Women rally in Hyde Park.
Now in its third year DML follows the traditions of the first dyke marches in the United States by taking place shortly before Pride in London. While the organisers appreciate the importance of Pride events all around the world and what they are achieving for the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community they feel Pride is still male-dominated and commercialised. By keeping DML dyke-led and community-centred the march wants to help dykes and their allies stake their claim as part of a diverse LGBTQ* community in London. Dyke marches are a growing movement around the world with events taking place in many cities in the United States and Canada, Mexico City, Berlin and Edinburgh.
