Vancouver’s 16th annual Dyke March and Festival on today

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The 16th annual Vancouver Dyke March took place on Saturday, starting at McSpadden Park.

This year’s march featured a new Dyke March banner to lead the group from the park at 12 p.m., moving down Commercial Drive and ending at Grandview Park. The festival following the march features performances from artists and queer-friendly vendors. It runs until 5 p.m.

Danniele Livengood, the secretary treasurer of the march and festival society, says members of the community and activists will be at the festival tents.

“We do try to create a space for those who don’t see themselves in a corporate or male-dominated [space]. We are grassroots. We are not funded by any organizations or sponsors,” she says. “That’s one of the biggest issues that we’re having in our community right now, is folks not welcoming trans voices and trans people in the typically lesbian community.”

The WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre was chosen as the Grand Marshal for this year’s march.

WAVAW’s trans-inclusion coordinator Felix Gilliland has been coming to the Dyke March for years and says it feels like a family reunion.

“I feel like I can bring my whole self here,” Gilliland says.

Gilland has seen bridge-building between the trans community and lesbian community, but does expect counter-protesters to show up.

“There’s a long history of feminist organizing, especially anti-violence organizing, that isn’t trans-inclusive. It is quite antagonistic and trans-misogynistic.”

Trained volunteers were available along the way wearing orange safety vests and volunteer hats to help create a safer space during the march and festival.

The Vancouver Dyke March did not invite the police to march and said on their site: “We stand in solidarity with our communities who have a history of oppression by police.”

Last year more than 500 people participated to celebrate local queer communities.

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