The Dyke March

Never underestimate the power of the lesbian activist network. The annual Dyke March, a bold, informal, grassroots-feeling equal rights event preceding the Pride Parade, got its start by a single rallying call.

At the 1993 LGBT March, a group called the Lesbian Avengers set forth to Washington, protesting what they saw as the control of Gay Pride by white gay men and corporate sponsors. Armed with one bullhorn and the word-of-mouth telegraph, the Avengers announced the first ever Dyke March and, to their shock, thousands swarmed to the White House. San Francisco's first Dyke March was set up by the same gals the following year. The event now attracts 50,000 lesbian, bi and transgender women. (Men are welcome as supporters but not necessarily as marchers.) The march steps off at 19:45, led by the popular, hundreds-strong Women's Motorcycle Contingent (Dykes on Bikes). Wrapping up in the Castro, it joins the Pink Saturday party - a big throng of boys getting revved for Pride the following day. Castro St and upper Market St are closed to traffic, punk bands like Oakland's Sistas in the Pit mouth off on a sound truck, and the dancing goes all night.