pissed enough about this that i’ll rant here instead of twitter
People’s replies to this in support are mostly:
“When a bi woman gets called a dyke it’s a misdirected slur, the person using the word is trying to oppress you because they think you’re a lesbian”
and
“why do y’all bisexuals wanna use a slur so badly anyways”
The first point is laughable. The initial tweet’s claim is absurd. Attacking LACK of attraction to men, not attraction to women? What the hell? Oh, are asexual women called dykes? Someone’s out in the streets not making out with a man, they get called a dyke? No??? You get called a dyke when you’re in the streets making out with a woman.
Also, misdirected slur? What the hell? When i’m kissing a girlfriend and get called a dyke, if I were to go “oh no good sir you have it wrong, I am actually bisexual” you really think they’ll be like “oh i’m so sorry for mis-slurring you, I’ll go find a real lesbian to oppress, please have a nice day”
No, you dense motherfucker. People are getting called dykes for acting like a goddamn dyke. That is, showing affection to, kissing, loving, fucking women when you’re a woman. Loving women is great. Getting called a dyke for doing so – you’re telling me that’s a valid experience for bi women?
Second, “why you wanna use a slur so bad”.
Come. Off. It. Tumblr culture ruined a generation of queers by convincing them to mask the “q slur” and go on about it offensiveness.
People want to use a word that has been leveraged as a slur because the word itself is empowering and hard-hitting. It’s like women who like to say “cunt” to refer to their vagina. Good word. Hard-hitting, powerful, represents my genitals. Good.
Just like dyke. I just bought a motorcycle, and ever since my first Pride parade I’ve dreamed of being part of dykes on bikes. Because hard-hitting, empowering, group of women who are fucking owning their identity.
“why you wanna use a slur so bad” is so fucking dismissive, like “why you wanna label any identity at all so bad” – it gives some goddamn power to you.
Anyways, I’m so fucking over the stratifications. Queer and dyke are rallying words for this community. People don’t get to tell you want to call yourself, sorry, I’m over it.
In before someone’s like “oh so you don’t mind if a straight guy calls himself a dyke?” it’s like… he’s claiming for himself a label that represents a queer woman. So like, no? It probably means he’s not actually straight, or a guy. People who make these dumb “false claim” arguments are the same as Republicans being like “but if we let trans people in bathrooms, any rando guy is going to claim to be trans to get into the woman’s room!”
People who hate trans people, or women, or queer people – these are not the people who take on these labels.
The people who do are vulnerable people looking for community.
Stripping that from them is cruel.
I’m a dyke and it’s not because I “want a slur” it’s because I want to build a home for myself. The community who claims to live there with me… how dare they be the ones to rip the walls down?
The queer community has built itself on this power and solidarity. The over-use of labels on gate-kept labels on gate-kept labels make certain that while we’re making sure no one is excluded, everyone is. People need to get their heads out of their asses, off the internet, and show up to any queer event trying to explain who can say dyke.
Until you do that, get the fuck out of my face.