Episode transcript availablehere.

In Episode 6 of Rainbow District, Beth talks to queer activists D and Susie about their experiences as organizers for the DC Dyke March. The DC Dyke March began annually in 1993, took a 12-year hiatus in 2007, and was brought back in 2019, which is when D and Susie got involved. In this episode, they discuss the organizing process, the2024 theme, "Dykes Against Genocide," and the purpose of the march.

The first Dyke March took place on April 25, 1993 in Washington DC, attended by 20,000 self-identifying Dykes. The main organizers of the march were theLesbian Avengers, a direct-action group founded in New York City in 1992. Theycreated a manifesto about the necessity of grassroots lesbian organizing, and handed out 8,000 flyers advertising the event. Due to its success, Dyke Marches were planned in various cities that June, and have since continued worldwide.

Dyke March history sources:Lesbian Herstory Archives (n.d.);DCist (2019);NYC Dyke March (2018);Washington Blade (2019).

Please consider donating:Operation Olive Branch;Omna Tigray;Sudan Solidarity Collective;Friends of the Congo.

Learn more about Rainbow District, queer history, and community resources at⁠⁠⁠⁠rainbowdistrictpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you want to be notified when new episodes of Rainbow District are released, click⁠here⁠ to join the mailing list.

Episode transcript available here.

In Episode 4 of Rainbow District, Beth talks to queer activist Dr. Robert Mckernan. Dr. Rob is a dentist at ⁠Whitman Walker Health⁠, a public health clinic offering high-quality healthcare to the queer community and individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. He is the founder of and lead dentist at Big Gay Smiles, an LGBTQ2IA+ owned practice in Washington, DC that provides queer- (and ally-) focused dental care. 10% of Big Gay Smiles' yearly revenue is donated to HIV/AIDS nonprofits that provide services to some of the most vulnerable members of the queer community.

Dr. Rob was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), or Mormon Church. In the LDS Church, "acting on same-sex attraction" is ⁠considered a sin⁠. The Church's official stance is that it opposes conversion therapy, the pseudoscientific and dangerous practices intended to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity; still, LDS organizations such as North Star provide "faith-affirming" resources for managing queerness, as if it were a mental illness. Dr. Rob escaped this toxic culture when he moved to New York for medical school, and began embracing his queer identity. Now he passionately serves his community along with his husband, helping the world Smile with Pride™!

Queer liberation and Palestinian liberation are inextricably linked. Human rights monitors, journalists, and United Nations agencies have concluded that Israel’s actions in and regarding Gaza since October 7, 2023 ⁠⁠⁠violate the Genocide Convention of 1948⁠⁠⁠, yet the US continues to ⁠⁠⁠send billions of dollars of aid⁠⁠⁠ to Israel. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ to provide urgent humanitarian aid to people in Gaza by donating to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Palestine Children's Relief Fund⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ for queer Palestine solidarity resources.

If you want to share your oral history for the podcast, schedule an interview with Beth.

Learn more about Rainbow District, queer history, and community resources at ⁠⁠rainbowdistrictpodcast.com⁠⁠.