Bikers are well-known for embracing counter-cultural movements. It comes as no surprise, then, that lesbians have found a place among their numbers. Dykes on Bikes, a club founded in 1976, is a natural extension of the place dykes hold in this community.
Dykes on Bikes has 22 chapters in a number of states. The term was first used officially at the San Francisco Pride Parade in 1976. The club is inclusive of many people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community. The club's inclusivity makes it a safe-haven for women who identify as more masculine. Members of the club often ride in gay pride parades.
The group challenges the dominant interpretation of what it means to be a woman by allowing women to act as something other than the feminine stereotype. Dykes on Bikes is one of many counter-cultural movements within the biker community. Like many other clubs, it provides a place for people who don't fit within cultural norms. Similarly, it also establishes space within the biker community for women who don't identify as straight.
A great way to connect to this community is to find a local chapter. Also, many people in this club wear sew on patches on their jackets to show their affiliation with the group. The main emblem for the group is an upside-down triangle in red with a gear encircling the words 'Dykes on Bikes' in black and the letters W, M, and C in the corners.
Dykes on Bikes is a safe haven for those who might not fit into mainstream culture. So if you're lone wolf lesbian biker looking for a way to connect, Dykes on Bikes might be just the club for you.
