From 14 to 40
Many a time
I’ve been called a “dyke”
Many a time
I’ve been called a “dyke”
For the way, my hair was cut
For the clothes I wore
For the truck, I drove
For the sports, I played
For the careers I chose
For the people, I spent my time with
And the people I chose not to
More often than not, it wasn’t actually a criticism of my sexuality
It was a warning to get back in the box
An abusive cultural course correction
A threat to force me back in line
And what I realized early on
Is that every time they called me a “dyke”
It was cause I was stepping on their gender roles
Threatening their delicate system of oppression
“Dyke” became a guidepost for me to stay the course
It became a power-up
It became a compliment.
Anonymous
The poem Titled "Dyke" is about how choosing to live outside of gender roles sexist threatens and heterosexist men and women into being violent and abusive and how I saw their attempts at abuse not as threatening but as empowering evidence that I am on the right path.