Reba Birmingham, left, and Stephanie Loftin will be recognized at the 5th Annual Long Beach Dyke March and Rally for their decades of advocacy and activism in the lesbian community. Photo: Q Voice News.
LONG BEACH — Women will be taking to the streets later this month for the 5th Annual Long Beach Dyke March and Rally.
It will take place 6:30 p.m. May 19 at Bixby Park.
The goal of the march is to increase lesbian visibility, including bisexual and transgender women.
In the past, marchers have protested disparities in health, pay and equal opportunities. Those topics are still relevant and will remain at the forefront, but marches will no doubt also voice their disapproval of President Donald Trump.
Attorneys and married couple Stephanie Loftin and Reba Birmingham will be recognized with the Jeanne Cordova Award for their decades of advocacy and activism in the lesbian community.
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The first dyke march in the United States took place in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 1993, and was attended by more than 20,000 women. It coincided with the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.
The march was intended as a woman-only event, organized by the Lesbian Avengers who encouraged gay, bisexual and straight men, as well as other supporters, to cheer from the sidelines.
Marches also have taken place in San Francisco, New York and West Hollywood.
Dyke marches usually take place the Friday or Saturday before LGBTQ pride parades. The Long Beach march will take place during Long Beach Pride weekend.
