About DykeWrite
Our site and community are devoted to dyke issues, history, and culture. This is a mission that can only be accomplished through inclusion and recognition of dykes often erased by the mainstream, such as trans* dykes, bisexual dykes, kinky dykes, and dykes of color--especially Black, Latine, and AmerIndian dykes.
In other words: TERF shit will not be tolerated, and we actively reject the ideologies of radical "feminism," assimilationism/respectability politics, and lesbian seperatism.
So... What Are You Trying to Do?
Thanks for asking! Our mission is to continue the legacy of DykeWrite (Web 1.0) in creating a community for dykes. We're working in the spirit of the project--one of empowerment, community, inclusion, and support--and updating policies and operations to work in 2022! Our more specific goals include:
- Discuss and promote new sites/journals/blogs in the DykeWrite community
- Announce significant events (i.e. graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, commitment ceremonies, etc.) in the DykeWrite community, as well as significant dates for the queer community at large
- Draw attention to political happenings, both positive and negative, as they concern the dyke+ & queer community
- Connect and uplift dykes of all backgrounds, experience, and ages
Who Can Join?
We welcome:
- Dykes (obviously)
- Lesbians
- Queer women
- Intersex and trans* individuals
- Anyone whose experience of queerness, sexuality, gender, etc. is aligned with dykehood and/or lesbianism
Essentially, if you're a dyke, lesbian, or would consider yourself to fall under either umbrella, you're welcome. We will not "verify" if you're a real dyke, or if you can be a lesbian. Your "validity" will never matter to us as much as your self-determination and actual behavior. If you're lesbophobic, a TERF, or just plain creepy, we don't care whether you're a real sapphist--you're getting the boot (or the Doc Marten, if you will).
If you want to join the webring, check the webring page for details!To become a DykeWrite author you must:
- Be 16 years of age or older
- Be a dyke, lesbian, queer woman, or have an identity that is otherwise closely adjacent/aligned with dykehood/under the dyke umbrella (?)--Political lesbians (?) do not count
- Have an email, Mastodon, or Discord account that you check regularly
- Have at least three article subjects that you can write about in mind (ie "being an MTF butch, safe lesbian sex, and explaining boydykes")--you will not be expected to write three articles
- Either have a blog or website where your writing on relevant issues can be found, or submit an article with your application
If you're interested and meet our author requirements, fill out our author application form!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Dyke+ Mean?
"Dyke+" refers to all dykes as well as people who can be counted under the dyke umbrella, but may or may not identify as dykes--hence the plus sign. This includes but is not limited to:
- Queer women and other woman-aligned people
- Lesbians & sapphics
- Transmasculine individuals
- Transsexuals
- Intersex individuals
- Drag kings, male impersonators, and female transvestites
(Also, yes, we invented the term, because it was a mouthful otherwise.)
What Should I Call DykeWrite if I'm Not a Lesbian?
DykeWrite! Just DykeWrite! "Dyke" being a taboo slur that only lesbians can say is a pretty new thing, actually, and largely a result of TERF ideology infiltrating the queer & dyke communities--I mean, the original DykeWrite only went down 20 years ago, and the dyke+ & queer old web is full of it! We have annual dyke marches across the United States! If someone doesn't want to be called a dyke, that's fine, but we here at DykeWrite want you to use our name. We picked it for a reason!
What's a "Political Lesbian" and Why Don't They Count as Dykes?
A "political lesbian" is a woman who defines lesbianism as a complete rejection of men & believes in the ideology of lesbian seperatism (seperating "lesbians" from bi women and men, read: anyone with a penis, anyone trans, and butches). Political lesbians often aren't actually lesbians, but cis, heterosexual women.
This ideology and movement is the root of the exile of trans people, butches, femmes, and non-homosexuals from the lesbian community. Even if a political lesbian is also an actual lesbian, we do not accept people who subscribe to the ideology of lesbian seperatism, because it is violently anti-dyke, anti-butch, transmisogynistic, and biphobic.
How Can I Participate if I Don't Have a Site or Write?
For now, your best shot is joining our mailing list. There's also a #DykeWrite tag on Mastodon for you to connect (and you can of course start that tag on other platforms)!
Currently, our Discord server is only open to webmasters and authors, but if that changes, the mailing list will be invited first!