Dyke March 2005 by Liz Henry
The Dyke March happens every summer on the Saturday just before the Pink Saturday Party. It is one of the kick of events for the San Francisco Pride Parade. In San Francisco, it started in 1993. The March goes from Mission Dolores Park to Market Street and usually ends in the Castro. The arrival of the march is usually the first major of influx of people to the gates fo the Pink Saturday Party.
The Dykes on Bikes head the march with hundreds of motorcycles, revving them up on 18th Street next to the park for quite a while before the start of the march.
The March draws around 200,000 participants and marchers are women-only; men come and are spectators to cheer on the crowds of marchers. The site for the SF march states, about identity and participation,
"We understand DYKE IDENTITY to include those of us who are questioning and challenging gender constructs and the social definitions of women, and who are gender fluid. We also welcome all women who want to support dykes to march with us. "
