dyke A "dyke" is a female homosexual or a low wall built to prevent floods (this second kind is also spelled "dike"). Some people suspect there's a connection between the two definitions: that women who were not interested in having sex with men might once have been compared, with disgust, to a stone barrier. On the other hand, Boudicca, a Celtic warrior queen in Britain in the first century AD, could have inspired "dyke." Or the 19th century black women who dug ditches in the American south and were known as "bulldikes" (or even the black male laborers of that time called "bull dicks" by white plantation owners). It's all mostly a game of guessing. Lesbians by any name were mentioned very little in print until about 1920, so it's hard to say when the word "dyke" hit spoken English. When it did hit, it meant--and still often means--a particularly "butch" lesbian: with stereotypically "masculine" clothes and appearance. ("Butch" is actually about a lot more than looks; it was a full way of life in the underground lesbian culture of the early to mid-20th century.) In African-American slang of the 1920s, to be "diked up" was to be "dressed up" and came to refer to women dressing butch. In the '60s, activists fighting discrimination against gay people got their first mainstream notice. And after that, the word "dyke" acquired, for some lesbians, a sense of pride. Like lots of names people call each other, the word changes a lot with context. Shouted at someone in school or on the street, it's mean--and is meant to make a girl or woman think she is not being friendly enough to men. As a less-bookish-sounding alternative to "lesbian," it's mostly just descriptive. Used by present-day lesbian activists and media--Dyke TV or Dykes to Watch Out For, for example--it's descriptive, but with a slightly rowdy we're-here, get-used-to-it edge.

Comments

[Cheyenna]

YOU DONT HAVE TO CUT YOURSELF TO BE EMO!

[Cheyenna]

Yea, I'm emo. I hate how everybody thinks that if your emo : you cut yourself. Yes plenty of emos do, but its like being scene without always wearing skinny jeans and band tees. I have the best of friends: most of htem emo. Yes, some of them cut themselves, but all emos cutting htemselves? really? I dont htink so. I can't say to my mom "hey I'm emo" without her checking my wrists. Its annoying. Its just a stupid stereotype. GET OVER IT xD lol

[howdy patner]

I think that if people want to be gay or bi or straight is there option. Noone has the right to be rude about it. everyones equal. and gays are not a waste of time they are people just like you. and you dont have o like them but omeone out there does and thats al lthat should matter to them.

[amber]

if thats there thing thats there thing im not gonna bash people about waht they r

[fiona]

im on a roller derby team and almost all my teammates are either bi or lesbian. im bi and me and my other bi/lesbian friends call each other dyke all the time. its not really an insult when we use it between ourselves because we know we arent prejudiced or bigoted. if someone i didnt know called me a dyke i would be really offended, but my friends dont bother me.

[Jess,]

Maryse,

Really? God loves everyone, and accepts them as they are because he created them that way. So don't talk about heaven and how they aren't getting in. Judging them is screwing you out of heaven. Only God can judge them. Not you.

[Megasmiley]

Dear Truth,
First I didn't say that animals go to heaven or hell. I didn't say we descended from animals. I just said that god made animals too and he made some of them gay so why is it so wrong if we are gay too. Plus I am disabled in real life or in your stupid term, retarded. If you are going to say a person is wrong say it. You don't have to go around calling them stupid names.

[MARYSE]

BUT GOD JUDGES THEM FOR THEIR NASTYNESS HE DOES'T HATE THEM AND THEY WONT ENTER HEAVEN LIKE THAT UNLESS THEY CHANGE, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE CELEBRATING AND ACCEPTING THEIR GAYNESS

[Mare]

i have gay friends and i love them. i admire famous gay people or important well-known gay people. but i think homosexuality is sick and disgusting and while i can tolerate it i think its a perversion and wrong. like im not onna judge a gay person for being gay. its their life choice and they can do what they want whether i like it or not.

[maryse]

FOR THE LAST TIME NO ONE SAID GOD HATES GAY
GOD DOES NOT HATES GAYS
GOD DOES NOT HATES GAYS
GOD DOES NOT HATES GAYS
GOD DOES NOT HATES GAYS
HE JUST DISLIKES WHAT THEY DO AND IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE GO HIM HIS ARMS ARE WIDE OPEN TO ANYONE WHO BELIVES IN HIM AND ACEPPTS HIM AS THEIR LORD JESUS CHRIST

[truth]

o my goodness uve got 2 be one of the dumbmest pepol who have ever wrote here (megasmiley) i realy think your the deffintion of retarded dont tell me ur gona compare yourself with a monkey stop being an idiot animals dont go 2 heaven or hell ,they dont have a animal god u must be those idiots that think we decend from monkey, face reality and for the hundreth time no one said god hates gays he dislikes wat dey do if your going 2 comment think of wat you wright before you touch the keyboard ur not making any sense you should have never apear here am not gona even try 2 emberess you cuz ur doing a great job at that yourself ur making yourself look like an idiot thats the truth the whole truth and nothig but the truth

[Megasmiley]

I was just wondering this for a while and you guys seem perfect to answer it.

Didn't god make animals too?

Some species of animals like penguins and monkeys have been found to be gay/lesiban.
So wouldn't god be okay with us being gay because he made other animals gay?

And there is no proof that god hates gays because he didn't write the bible. Maybe the person who wrote the bible hated gays and since he didn't want them he wrote in his thoughts. Also the same with figs because apparently the bible thinks figs is evil. No one knows god and his exact thoughts. He didn't write the bible.

Just some thoughts for you to think about before you speak.

P.S. What is with the caps? It doesn't add any effect to your message. It actually makes it harder to read.

[maryse]

KATE YOU GOT THE WRONG IDEA YES GOD DOES FORGIVE EVERYONE AND NO ONE SAID THAT GAY PPL WILL GO TO HELL I JUST SAID THAT THEY WILL GO TO HELL IF THET DONT REPENT FOR THEIR SINS
AND THE BILBLE SAYS IT THAT NO GAY PEOPLE WILL ENTER THE GATES OF HEAVEN UNLESS THEY ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS

[kate]

hav all u ppl who think tht gay ppl will g2 hell or whtever actually read the bible?! god forgives EVERYONE, even muderers and theives. remember how when He waz dying on the cross He 4gave a theif on the cross next 2 him. all u hav 2 do is ask 4 forgiveness. and their is nothing wrong wit bein gay. God 4gives everyone. and if he can 4ggive ppl who hav 2b put 2 death cuz of their crimes, im sure He can 4give a gay person.

[PATTY]

I DONT SEE THE POINT IN BEING GAY

[Viv]

I don't see the point of putting others down just because they're gay or bi or whatever. I mean,I'm not gay or bi, but I don't look down on other people because they are. And aren't you supposed to treat others how you want to be treated? It's an important lesson to learn, and we learn it in what? First grade? So really, why hate on each other when we can just agree to disagree...

[maryse]

okay listen here peace-lover let me set it straight for you have no cle wer your standing at right now and i kno ur a gay ass 2 you need god in yur lyf wen the tym comes ur gona rememba maryse coments okay GAYS ARE JUST A WASTE OF SPACE

AND YES THEY ARE INSIGNIFICANT FOLLOWING BY ALL THE CRIMANAL,PROSTITUDES,WITHCHES,WICCAS,GANGS,
RACISTS,DRUGIES,ROBBERS,ADULTERS,FORNICATERS, PORN ADDICTS, ect.....
just spreding the word

pourquoi are you people so GAY????

[peace-lover]

the bible is ancient and there really is no proof that it was written by God or Jesus or whatever furthermore there is no proof god himself exists if u can give some proof that he is fine but all proof leads to a scientific beginnings im not sayng all that what u believe in is wrong i mean u can believe in a god or whatever but u really shouldnt talk about gay ppl like they r insignificant everyone is important and besides what would u do if u had a child that were gay u would jusst completely forget about them u really have no idea wat u r saying when u say it

[i love MUSIC]

GROWS SOME DICK YOU DUMBASS DYKES

GAY PPL

NASTY

A DISGRACE TO THE WORLD
ASSHOLES

[read the BIBLE ppl]

I REALIZE I GOT SOMNE MISSSPELLED WORDS BUT YOU ALL GET

GOD IS COMING
AMEN

[read the BIBLE ppl]

and kezia it will give you more headache because chritianity will stay hear until the lord comes which he is going to pick up he's children and all you gays who didn't fix your life will stay with your gay ruler the one who started it all

is true it will happen

i dont care if you think i am crazy

but you all are going to realize it
god is coming

and all this bad stop is gong to end for us christian

halelulla!!!!!

GOD IS COMING

[read the BIBLE ppl]

all you ppl are idiots especially you foolforyou and kezia if you are going to comment read right, the girl clearly wrote that "GOD DOES NOT HATE YOU" but hates that action which is repulsive, abominable and disgusting and sure, god accepts everyone regarding anything and if you knock on his door he will accept you and change you just like if a rich man sees a homeless man he will pick him up clean him and dress him and he will look new. and that is what god does to whoever knoks on his door. soo look for the lord and you will find him

therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. romans 6:12

[truth]

i never said god hates u get it to your head so if u say i did underline it understand wat ur reading b4r u right anything

[Raivyne]

People are called dykes alot at my school, its so stupid.

[FoolForYou]

Also, to Truth:

Im gonna take a risk and guess that you're a Christian, judging from your penultimate comment.

If thats true, then you're not the best are you?
Calling people 'insolent fool'; 'u repulsive minded freek'; 'a big retard' and telling someone to not get mad cos they 'NEVER GRU SOME BALZZ' isnt really very representative of the loving, kindly God your worship is it?
Let your actions and words be another way of witnessing.

But if I totally guessed wrong, and you're not a Christian, then my apologies. =]

But still, regardless, that wasnt very nice.