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68-567: The founding members of the Avengers attempted to address the lack of visibility lesbians had throughout the media. Multiple members claimed that the lack of diversity and the focus on white men in the gay rights movement is one of the reasons that inspired them to create a movement for lesbians. There were multiple chapters of the Lesbian Avengers within different cities such as: New York, San Francisco, and Denver. Different chapters of

136-442: A Rally at 5 pm at Seattle Central Community College, followed by the march through the streets at 7 pm. The rally is held outdoors, includes speakers and performers who are women identified and queer identified, and is ASL interpreted. Since the late 2000s, organizers have filed for a permit. Since about 2007, the march audience has been about 1,000 women, and the permit ensures the streets are clear for marching. The DC Dyke March

204-690: A black lesbian in America". The founders hoped to create "an organization that is helpful and inspiring to third world gay women" and to "share in the strengthening and productivity of the whole gay community." "Salsa Soul Sisters" particularly focused on inclusion for Black and Latina women, and ultimately expanded to include Asian American and Indigenous women, and women who identified as gay, bisexual, and same-gender loving. The organization also chose to define their goals as " womanist ," rather than feminist , to specify that their organizing goals were geared towards issues affecting women of color, and centering

272-482: A cooperative babysitting venture where mothers could come to weekly meetings and bring their children and benefit from other mothers in the club. Cofounding member Luvenia Pinson said that the "Salsa Soul Sisters provide geographic and psychological space for women to meet other Third World gay women. It gives a place to ventilate; a place to come and share ideas and experiences and meet people who might clean up their own personal interest." The Jemima Writers Collective

340-674: A discussion, organizers asked them to leave the event, insisting that the rainbow flag with the Star of David "made people feel unsafe" and that the dyke march was " pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist ". The incident prompted widespread criticism and accusations of anti-Semitism . A member of the Dyke March Chicago collective stated that the women were removed due to the flags, and pro-Palestinian organizations were asked by CDM to release statements of solidarity while they crafted an official statement. March organizers later released

408-630: A dyke march was held on March 21, 2003. This march extended from the symbolic Monument to the Revolution to the Zócalo , the capital's huge central plaza. Organizers state "For us, the Lesbian March is an important show of visibility because it aims at smashing stereotypes and prejudices ." The inaugural Asbury Park Dyke March was held in October 2020. The Chicago Dyke March is held in

476-897: A fire house in Manhattan (1974-1976), Washington Square United Methodist Church (1976-1987), and the LGBTQ Community Center (1987). Informal meetings often took place in members' homes. From 1977 to 1983, Salsa Soul Sisters published their own magazine, Azalea: A Magazine by Third World Lesbian , and developed a newsletter, Salsa Soul Gazette , in 1982. The group was active in protests, demonstrations, and community organizing in New York City, and organization leaders frequently invited speakers to their events, including Betty Powell , Audre Lorde , Pat Parker , Jewel Gomez, and Barbara Smith . Through their activism and advocacy work, members risked their lives and livelihoods; it

544-428: A full lesbian cast and protested homophobic groups and organizations across London. Despite the presence of international chapters, the documented activities of these chapters are limited. Dyke March A dyke march is a lesbian visibility and protest march , much like the original Gay Pride parades and gay rights demonstrations. The main purpose of a dyke march is the encouragement of activism within

612-548: A group of five avengers entered the headquarters and proceeded to demonstrate against the organization. The Avengers came with posters and began chanting in the building. The Avengers brought 1,000 crickets, which they released into the headquarters, causing alarm among from members of Exodus International. The issues that this chapter targeted varied. They held protests, brought awareness to the AIDS crisis, and organized events to mobilize lesbians. The Lesbian Avengers grew outside of

680-580: A historically significant and successful community of LGBTQ activists who paved the way for many queer women of color. In November 2019, the Center for Women's History at the New York Historical Society Museum and Library celebrated Salsa Soul Sisters with a panel featuring Cassandra Grant, Imani Rashid, Roberta Oloyade Stokes, and Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, who discussed the organization's history, victories, and on-going struggles. At

748-473: A manifesto crafted by the Lesbian Avengers . The purpose of the flyer was to address the necessity for grassroots lesbian organizing, especially given the anti-gay bills being pushed throughout the early 1990s. After learning about this manifesto , lesbians from Los Angeles created a large banner for their contingent, and those from Philadelphia constructed a vagina statue that was carried through

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816-476: A racist agenda in battling the multicultural curriculum. Meeting in Queens School District 24 where the opposition to the "Rainbow Curriculum" was strongest, they paraded through the neighborhood with an all-lesbian marching band to a local elementary school where they gave out lavender balloons to children and their parents saying "Ask About Lesbian Lives". They also wore tee-shirts reading, "I

884-572: A social and political alternative to the lesbian and gay bars , which had "historically exploited and discriminated against lesbians of color". They originally called themselves the Third World Gay Women's Association, with the informal moniker "Salsa-Soul Sisters". The original group was led by Rev. Dolores Jackson, Harriet Alston, Sonia Bailey, Luvenia Pinson, Candice Boyce, and Maua Flowers. The group held weekly meetings to discuss social and political issues. Meeting spaces included

952-519: A statement maintaining that the women were asked to leave due to their "Zionist stance and support for Israel", and not the use of Jewish symbols. In 2018, members of the local Jewish LGBT community expressed reluctance to attend that year's march, citing concerns about safety and alienation . In 2021, an Instagram post from the CDM organizers included the American and Israeli flags burning. The post

1020-591: Is celebrated every year on the last Saturday in June. The march begins in Mission Dolores Park with speeches, performances, and community networking; and ends in the Castro District . The dyke march is informal, with marchers creating their own signs and most people showing up to participate, rather than to just watch. The San Francisco Dyke March has high attendance numbers. The streets along

1088-540: Is newer name for the organization. The name change resulted from the group's shift from majority African-American and Latina women to include women of Asian and Native-American descent as well. The group is "committed to the spiritual, cultural, educational, economic and social empowerment of African Ancestral womyn". The AALUSC provides a space for all lesbians of the African Diaspora, regardless of language, culture, or class to become educated and empowered with

1156-584: Is outrageous that in preparing to celebrate LGBTQ pride, the DC Dyke March is forbidding Jewish participants from carrying any flag or sign that includes the Star of David, which is universally recognized as a symbol of the Jewish people....Banning the Star of David in their parade is anti-Semitic, plain and simple." A coalition of progressive Jewish-American groups denounced the ban in a joint statement, and

1224-685: The Gay Liberation Front was formed in New York City. In the same year, members split to form the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). In 1971, GAA members internally formed the Black Lesbian Caucus. Caucus member and local minister Rev. Dolores Jackson saw a need to particularly focus on issues of racism impacting lesbians of color within the GAA. While a great deal of organizing and activism related to LGBTQ+ rights

1292-499: The Lesbian Avengers , over 20,000 women participated in the march on April 24, 1993. Due to the successful turnout of this first march, the New York Lesbian Avengers decided to organize a march of their own held in June 1993. Beyond marching throughout the city, a manifesto was handed out and the Avengers created a “float”: a bed on wheels full of kissing dykes. A banner , which is used every year to demarcate

1360-493: The National LGBTQ Task Force withdrew their support for the DC Dyke March. More than two dozen Jewish lesbians and Zionist supporters brought the prohibited flag and symbol to the march. They debated the perceived mistreatment and exclusion with march organizer Jill Raney. Thereafter, DC Dyke March organizers allowed the group to participate in the march with their Jewish pride flags. On June 27, 2024,

1428-533: The Avengers, explained: [It] grew out of tragedy. Last year, a lesbian and a gay man, Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock, burned to death in Salem, Ore., after a Molotov cocktail was tossed into the apartment they shared. A month later, on Halloween, at a memorial to the victims in New York City, the Avengers (then newly organized) gave their response to the deaths. They ate fire, chanting, as they still do: "The fire will not consume us. We take it and make it our own. At

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1496-478: The Dyke March. After the Avengers brought this issue to GLAAD's attention, one line was added to the end of the press release about the lack of mainstream press coverage about the Dyke March. Aware of the power of the press, the Lesbian Avengers sometimes didn't court it, but attacked it. They invaded the offices of Self magazine when that publication planned a trip to Colorado despite a lesbian and gay boycott of

1564-779: The LGBT community. The first official action of the New York Lesbian Avenger Chapter was a protest against right-wing opposition to New York's Rainbow Curriculum. The Avengers marched on the first day of classes in opposition to those who refused to implement the curriculum. Many of the actions taken by the New York Chapter were in relation to politicians who made homophobic remarks, actions to increase lesbian visibility, and volunteer work across different organizations. The New York Chapter partnered with The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) to protest

1632-699: The LGBT-friendly neighborhood of Kreuzberg . The march occurs annually in June, on the day before the Berlin Pride Parade. As of 2023, there are dyke marches planned throughout the year in Berlin, Bielefeld, Braunschweig, Bremen, Erfurt, Frankfurt, Göttingen, Hamburg, Hannover, Köln, Lüneburg, München, Münster, Nürnberg, Oldenburg, Rhein-Neckar, the Ruhr area (three dyke marches each year), Weimar, and Würzburg. The London Dyke March

1700-475: The Lesbian Avengers expanded their missions to focus on issues of race, class, and gender. The Lesbian Avengers engaged in different forms of activism. One of the most notable accomplishments is the formation of the annual Dyke March . Other notable forms of activism include fire-breathing and protests against Proposition 8 . Though some groups continue to hold demonstrations on an irregular basis (San Francisco Avengers demonstrated against Proposition 8 ), one of

1768-500: The Lesbian Avengers was founded in 1993 and actively engaged in different forms of activism until 1997. The San Francisco chapter is responsible for creating the biggest avenger event, The Dyke March . According to Kelly Cogswell, the march mobilized approximately 20,000 lesbians and the success of the event led to the opening of around 60 new chapters. Another major action the Avengers took was in response to Exodus International and their use of conversion therapy . On February 9, 1995,

1836-569: The Lesbian Avengers' most enduring legacy may be the annual Dyke March . The Lesbian Avengers was founded by six women: Ana Maria Simo, Anne Maguire, Anne-Christine D'askey, Marie Honan, Maxine Wolfe, and Sarah Schulman. Each of these women had experience in advocating for gay rights and equality under different organizations such as ACT-UP and the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization (ILGO). The co-founders sought to create an inclusive movement that focused on lesbian issues, something they felt

1904-504: The NYC Dyke March issued a statement supporting the safety of Jewish participants at the march and condemning the 7 October attacks . Within thirty minutes, this statement was deleted and replaced by another that referred to the first as a "mistake" that did "not reflect the official stance of the Dyke March", adding that the organization "unapologetically stands in support of Palestinian liberation". The march also raised money for

1972-558: The Salsa Soul Sisters identified as lesbians , womanists and women of color , based in New York City Arguments within the Salsa Soul Sisters resulted in the disbanding of the Salsa Soul Sisters into two groups, Las Buenas Amigas (Good Friends) made for Latinas, and African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change made for African-diaspora lesbians. In the aftermath of the 1969 Stonewall Riots ,

2040-662: The Washington Dyke March held during the anniversary celebrations of the Lesbian and Gay March on Washington in 1993, the Lesbian Avengers ate fire in front of the White House surrounded by a crowd of an estimated 20,000 lesbians. According to co-founder Sarah Schulman, "It was at the 1993 March on Washington that the Avengers and ACT-UP Women's Network created the first Dyke March -- with 20,000 women, marching together with no permit. These participants brought

2108-812: The addition of a sentence acknowledging the absence of mainstream media coverage about the march. As of 2023, there are dyke marches in more than twenty cities and regions in Germany. The nationwide network of "Dyke* March Germany" is gathering information on all of the dyke marches in Germany on their Instagram account. There is a yearly dyke march in Hamburg and since 2014 in Cologne , Germany. Since 2017 also in Heidelberg , and since 2018 in Oldenburg . The Berlin Dyke March has been in operation since 2013 in

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2176-605: The borders within the United States. There were chapters located within different cities in Canada, Europe, and Australia. The most well-known international chapter was located in London, England. Members of the London chapter were also ex members of the group OutRage! Members of the London chapter would focus on different issues, many of their actions aimed to increase lesbian visibility. Members re-created Romeo and Juliet will

2244-442: The demonstration. "It should let people know clearly and quickly who we are and why we are there. NY Avengers have used a wide range of visuals such as fire eating, a twelve-foot shrine, a huge bomb, a ten-foot plaster statue, flaming torches, etc. The more fabulous, witty, and original, the better." Sometimes their positions seem to change, as well. In the early years, the group opposed attempts to legitimize gay marriage, protesting

2312-413: The event should "not bring pro-Israel paraphernalia in solidarity with our queer Palestinian friends", while "Jewish stars and other identifications and celebrations of Jewishness (yarmulkes, talit, other expressions of Judaism or Jewishness) are welcome and encouraged". Palestinian flags and symbols were permitted. In response to the policy, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stated, "It

2380-514: The event, ceremony speaker and First Lady of the City of New York Chirlane McCray shared her experience as a Salsa Soul Sister member, stating: "The Sisters were so beautiful, and there were so many of them...these Sisters, they became family for me...my first New York family, and they fed my soul, they helped me see and navigate the world...We protected each other from a world that just refused to see us, let alone embrace us. " The Salsa Soul Sisters

2448-403: The experiences and contributions of Black feminists. The group was comprised equally of African-American and Latina American women and went under the name "Salsa Soul Sisters" to reference their membership identity. The group's activities ranged from "vocational workshops and seminars on handicrafts, art crafts and martial arts for street protection". The Salsa Soul Sisters provided a space for

2516-687: The first officially declared Dyke March was conducted, continues to hold these marches annually throughout its boroughs of Manhattan , Brooklyn , and Queens . Other cities where dyke marches may be found in the United States include: Atlanta , Boston , Buffalo , Chicago , Long Beach , Minneapolis , Oakland , Philadelphia , Pittsburgh , Portland (Maine) , Portland (Oregon) , San Diego , San Francisco , Seattle , Washington, DC , and West Hollywood . Canadian dyke marches can be found in Calgary , Halifax , Montreal , Ottawa , Toronto , Vancouver , and Winnipeg . The first Latin American dyke march

2584-687: The front of the March, was improvised at Bryant Park with markers and oaktag. Around the same time that year, Atlanta and San Francisco also held their first dyke marches. Most dyke marches today occur in late June during Pride celebrations commemorating the Stonewall riots in New York City on June 28, 1969. The first Dyke March held in April 1993 in Washington D.C. was accompanied with

2652-469: The group was Carrie Moyer, an American painter who designed some the posters and logos used by the group. In 1993, the documentary film The Lesbian Avengers Eat Fire, Too was released. The film documents the first year of activity within the group and includes interviews with the members of the New York chapter. The Lesbian Avenger Handbook encouraged particular attention to the visual elements of

2720-627: The hardline anti-Zionist group Within Our Lifetime . In opposition, a group of Jewish dykes held a separate event at the same time as the march. African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change The Salsa Soul Sisters, today known as the African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change , is the oldest black lesbian organization in the United States . Operating from 1974 to 1993,

2788-488: The initial march led to marches across other cities such as: New York, West Hollywood, Chicago, and many more locations nationally and internationally. Currently, the marches still exist and are held in June and are done in honor of the Stonewall riots and other notable events in LGBT history. The New York Chapter was the beginning of the Lesbian Avengers. The Avengers in New York worked from 1992 to 1995, their last action involved protesting comments Joseph Bruno made toward

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2856-511: The international march on the United Nations on June 26, 1994, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising , the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) issued a press release about Stonewall that failed to recognize the existence of the Dyke March. The Lesbian Avengers confronted the organization about this oversight, and GLAAD re-issued the press release with

2924-629: The lesbian and sapphic community. Dyke marches commonly take place the Friday or Saturday before LGBTQ pride parades. Larger metropolitan areas usually have several Pride-related happenings (including picnics, workshops, arts festivals, parties, benefits, dances, and bar events) both before and after the march to further community building ; with social outreach to specific segments such as older women, women of color , and lesbian parenting groups. Dyke marches are concentrated in various influential cities across North America. New York City, in which

2992-625: The march route are lined with enthusiastic spectators in support of the women. In the early years, the San Francisco Dyke March Committee (a small group of volunteers) never applied for nor received a permit from the city, exercising the First Amendment right to gather without permits and often changed its route to avoid the police. Seattle's dyke march occurs the Saturday before Pride and begins with

3060-484: The marches home to their cities and countries and created a new tradition." The first Dyke March was initiated by the San Francisco Lesbian Avengers chapter in 1993, it was done during the 1993 March on Washington . Around 20,000 lesbians attended the first march. Eventually, the New York chapter followed and began holding their own Dyke march. The march was held in Washington, the success of

3128-580: The month of June and has been in operation since 1995, beginning in the LGBT-friendly neighborhood of Andersonville . Many participants consider it "a chance to celebrate ourselves as women, as lesbians, and to show the community that we are here." In 2008, organizers of the Chicago Dyke March announced that it would remain in a new location for two consecutive years. The location of the march changed every two to three years to increase visibility throughout all neighborhoods of Chicago. The March

3196-589: The notion at an Andrew Sullivan book signing in 1995. The New York Lesbian Avengers also developed a Lesbian Avenger Civil Rights Organizing Project. On their first action (September 9, 1992), the Lesbian Avengers targeted right-wing attempts to suppress a multicultural "Children of the Rainbow" curriculum for elementary schoolchildren. Ostensibly under attack for including lesbians and gay men in its lessons about diversity, some activists like Ana Maria Simo charged that opponents, besides being homophobic, also had

3264-695: The now-defunct organization Lesbians Against the Right held a "Dykes in the Streets" march in Toronto, Ontario, with lesbian power, pride, and visibility as the theme. 350 women participated in this demonstration. Another similar demonstration would not be held again in Toronto until 1996. The first conceptualized and self-proclaimed dyke march was formed in Washington, DC, during the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation . Organized by

3332-422: The organizers do not seek out a permit, and put emphasis on the political. Even though there are many club nights and parties after the March, the event is not so much about entertainment as it is about highlighting the presence of self-identified women within the LGBT community and in protest of the discrimination, harassment, and violence they face. The first San Francisco Dyke March was held in June 1993, and

3400-495: The processes necessary to attract press attention from mainstream and lesbian and gay media, even examples of press releases. Conflicts over the handling of the press coverage of the Dyke March also occurred within the New York gay and lesbian political community. In an interview, Simo said that a press release sent out by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) after Stonewall 25 initially did not have anything in it about

3468-466: The radio station and broadcasting their own message. Use of fire and fire-eating became something of a symbol for the Lesbian Avengers, and spread from the New York group to many others. The first time the Avengers engaged in fire-breathing was on October 30, 1992, in New York. This was done in honor of Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock , to "...transform the image of their deaths by learning to eat fire." The New York Times , in one of its few articles on

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3536-415: The second annual Dyke March in New York City on June 25, 1994, there was a lack of media coverage of the event in spite of attendance numbers reaching 20,000.   The New York Times was the only major newspaper that published a mention, albeit brief, about the march. The Lesbian Avengers perceived the overall silence to be a " media blackout ", resulting in an aggressive media campaign. Concurrent with

3604-527: The state for hate legislation, and in the resulting media coverage were misnamed "The Lesbian Agenda." The Avengers also collaborated with Las Buenas Amigas and African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change in a series of actions against homophobic and racist radio programs at La Mega 97.9 in New York, and its parent company, the Spanish Broadcasting System , informing advertisers, staging demonstration, and briefly taking over

3672-575: The streets of Washington D.C. An excerpt from this call to action within the lesbian community reads: Calling All Lesbians! Wake Up! It's Time To Get Out Of The Beds, Out Of The Bars And Into The Streets. It's Time To Seize The Power of Dyke Love, Dyke Vision, Dyke Anger, Dyke Intelligence, Dyke Strategy....We're Invisible, Sisters, And It's Not Safe—Not In Our Homes, Not In The Streets, Not On The Job, Not In The Courts. Where Are The Out Lesbian Leaders? It's Time For A Fierce Lesbian Movement And That's You: The Role Model, The Vision, The Desire. After

3740-474: The violence that queer people were faced with during Halloween Celebrations. Additionally, much of the activism the Avengers engaged in addressed the murders of gay people. Their first protest was in regard to the murders of two gay people, Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock. The avengers held a press conference in Manhattan City Hall to bring awareness to the situation. The San Francisco Chapter of

3808-702: The world to start Avenger chapters without having a huge pool of experienced activists." The handbook played an essential role in the organization and was a tool used by the experienced and newcomers of the group. The New York chapter started with an estimated 50 members. Eventually new chapters were introduced in multiple locations, over 35 chapters emerged worldwide. A handful chapters were present internationally. The Avengers garnered attention through their use of demonstrations, which were combined with flyers and memorable catchphrases. The Lesbian Avengers designated members to focus on different tasks such as event organizing and designing flyers for events. A notable artist within

3876-640: Was a lesbian child". This first action exemplified the Avenger approach. They also demonstrated without permits, refusing to ask for permission to express themselves. Organizer Kelly Cogswell later elaborated on this principle during the 1994 International Dyke March, "We ask for a permit; they can say no." Above all, their choice of action reflected their commitment to challenging homophobic stereotypes. In this case, some members objected to going anywhere near children since lesbians and gay men had so often been portrayed as child molesters. Other members thought that

3944-605: Was beginning throughout the 1970s, queer and trans women of color were often excluded from these efforts and frequently faced sexism, racism, and exclusion from queer spaces and communities. The initial Salsa Soul Sisters group was intended to create a safe space for women of color to focus on their needs and directly address the sociopolitical issues affecting their community. In 1974 the Black Lesbian Caucus reformulated itself as Salsa Soul Sisters, Third World Wimmin Inc , an autonomous group of Black and Latina lesbians offering its members

4012-560: Was common for queer women to be fired or socially ostracized for openly demonstrating and identifying as queer. Throughout its 19 year existence, the group's membership grew to 200 women of all ages, identities and backgrounds. In 1993, the group split into two separate organizations, including the African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change (for African diaspora lesbians) and Las Buenas Amigas, or The Good Friends, for Latina lesbians. The group's impact spans decades and generations, and Salsa Soul Sisters continues to be recognized as

4080-485: Was first organized in 2012 and is held each year in June. The 2012 march featured speakers, including a representative from the Safra Project, a charity for Muslim LBT women, and Sarah Brown , a transgender lesbian activist and former Lib Dem councilor. The London Dyke March emphasizes diversity, including bois, queers , femmes , butches , and lipstick lesbians . The first Latin America demonstration of

4148-560: Was first organized in April 1993 and thereafter held annually in June until 2007. After a 12-year absence, the march returned in 2019 with "Dykes Against Displacement" as its theme, in protest of the elimination of low-income housing due to gentrification . The march, however, became mired in controversy resulting from the banning of "nationalist symbols". In 2017, Chicago Dyke March (CDM) organizers singled out three women carrying Jewish pride flags and began questioning them on their political stance in regards to Zionism and Israel . After

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4216-461: Was formed by members of the Salsa Soul Sisters to "meet the need for creative/artistic expression and to create a supportive atmosphere in which Black women could share their work and begin to eradicate negative self images." Salsa Soul Sisters published several quarterly magazines, including Azalea: A Magazine by Third World Lesbians (1977-1983), and Salsa Soul Gayzette , (1982). The African Ancestral Lesbians United for Social Change (AALUSC)

4284-758: Was held in Mexico City in 2003. In Europe, dyke marches take place in various cities, including Berlin , London , and Stockholm . Before the concept of a "dyke march" came to be, one of the first documented lesbian pride marches in North America took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in May 1981. Approximately 200 lesbians attending the fifth Bi-National Lesbian Conference marched through downtown streets chanting "Look over here, look over there, lesbians are everywhere!" Later, in October 1981,

4352-779: Was held in Pilsen in 2008 and 2009, in South Shore in 2010 and 2011, in Uptown in 2012 and 2013, in Humboldt Park in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and in La Villita in 2017. The Second Annual New York City Dyke March was held in June 1994 and led to the solidification and continuation of the yearly NYC Dyke March. The march is open to everyone who identifies as a "dyke". As with the San Francisco Dyke March,

4420-423: Was later deleted and replaced with a new image that shrouded both flags in flames. Similar to the 2017 decision made by the Chicago Dyke March, the 2019 Washington DC Dyke March adopted a policy that "nationalist symbols", including Israeli and American flags and the Star of David when centered on a flag, cannot be displayed. Organizers said these symbols represent "violent nationalism", and said those attending

4488-491: Was not properly addressed in other organizations. Their first recruiting flyer, handed out at New York's Pride March , invited "LESBIANS! DYKES! GAY WOMEN!" to get involved. "We're wasting our lives being careful. Imagine what your life could be. Aren't you ready to make it happen?" The Lesbian Avenger handbook was an important foundation that gave the Avengers their ability to organize meetings, fundraise, and responses to media. The handbook "made it possible for lesbians across

4556-440: Was one of the first lesbian organizations created by and for women of color. The Salsa Soul Sisters was born out the need for an inclusive space for lesbian women of color to discuss the problems and concerns they face based on sex and race. Early collective member and activist Candice Boyce said that, at the time of the group's founding, "there was no other place for women of color to go and sit down and talk about what it means to be

4624-411: Was precisely why their presence was essential. And that was the eventual consensus of the group. Press played an important role in the Lesbian Avengers. One article characterized them as "a protest outfit formed to attract media attention to lesbian causes." Besides shaping actions for visual impact, there were committees dedicated to outreach and "propaganda". The handbook offered a step by step guide on

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