Thousands turned out on June 26 for the Dyke March for Black Dyke Power, which stepped off at Bryant Park and concluded at Washington Square Park.
Flags of every stripe blew in the wind and marchers held signs delivering a series of messages — including reminders of the march’s ban on corporations. Other signs read messages such as “Pride is an act of resistance,” Dyke power,” and “trans love.”
Ahead of the march, organizers outlined the theme for this year’s Dyke March, stating, “In the fight for Queer and Trans liberation, the contributions of People of Color have been systematically minimized and ignored. Since the inception of the Dyke March, dykes of color, especially Black dykes, have played an essential role in organizing. The hard work and dedication that dykes of color have contributed every year to ensure that thousands of dykes can express their First Amendment right to protest should be acknowledged and celebrated. To all the current and former dykes of color organizers on the NYC Dyke March planning committee — we acknowledge and celebrate you.”
The non-permitted march came two years after the 2019 WorldPride Dyke March, which was the biggest one ever. Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s march drew a solid turnout — and it was capped off with a picture-perfect ending in the sunlight at the Washington Square Park fountain. Couples embraced and marchers splashed their way through the water to cool off on the warm day.
