As Boston femme scene grows, DykeFest aims to unite queer community
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Boston drag king Andi van Dyke on stage at Jacque's Cabaret for the first annual DykeFest in 2024. Photo: Courtesy of LJ James/DykeFest
Boston-area femme and queer residents are creating spaces that cater to them, and DykeFest's return on Saturday is the latest example.
The big picture: Boston has been home to gay clubs for decades, and while they welcome everyone, lesbians, nonbinary people and other LGBTQ+ people have often lamented the lack of femme-forward or queer-inclusive spaces.
- Sapphic Nights and last year's opening of Dani's Queer Bar have helped fill the gap, and the second annual Dyke Fest aims to do the same.
Driving the news: DykeFest, an arts festival featuring burlesque, drag kings and comedians, is heading to the Armory in Somerville on Saturday from 3:30pm to 11pm.
- The festival includes various performances, including a free talent show by Jacques' Cabaret regular MT Heart, and nearly two dozen arts vendors.
- The night wraps up with an after party at Dani's until 2am, says Andi van Dyke, a Boston-area drag king and the event organizer.
What they're saying: "I want to expose Boston's broader Sapphic, trans, dyke community artists that I think they'll enjoy," says van Dyke, who asked to be identified by their stage name due to safety concerns.
Zoom out: Massachusetts is home to at least 514,000 people (9.1% of the state's population) who identify as LGBTQ+ adults, per 2022 census data.
- Boston, one of the state's LGBTQ+ hubs, is home to nightclubs and bars like Blend and Club Cafe, as well as a growing number of events that cater to the LGBTQ+ community.
Flashback: Van Dyke organized last year's festival after the staff at Jacques' suggested hosting a lesbian-centered event.
- DykeFest sold out at Jacque's last year, drawing people across the LGBTQ+ community, from young adults to elders.
- The event centers lesbians and anyone who identifies as a "dyke," but it welcomes everyone, says Emma Brigham, who is helping organize the event.
- "One of the coolest things is being able to work with someone who's curating that kind of space that's safe for trans people and the Sapphic community," Brigham says.
Between the lines: The evolving nature of language, identity and space is often discussed in LGBTQ+ circles, where some bristle at terms like "queer" and "dyke" that have been used as slurs, while others reclaim them proudly.
- For van Dyke, the term "dyke" represents lesbians and queer and trans people who identify with it.
- While some might exclude people they don't consider a "dyke" or a lesbian, either because they identify as a man or have dated men, "I think that becomes dangerous, and we perpetuate the same type of gatekeeping that we're trying to get away from," they tell Axios.
What's next: Van Dyke wants to keep growing DykeFest to include additional elements like networking or singles events.
The bottom line: Boston's LGBTQ+ scene is becoming more diverse.