Leather Dyke

A “leather dyke” generally refers to a lesbian (or queer woman) who is actively part of the leather/BDSM subculture. It’s more than just wearing leather - it signifies participation in a leather-fetish or BDSM lifestyle and often carries a sense of community identity and pride. ### Origins of the Term Back in the late 1970s, a group of lesbian and feminist kink enthusiasts in San Francisco decided they deserved their own space in the leather/BDSM world. In 1978, Pat Califia (then identifying as a lesbian), Gayle Rubin, and about 16 others launched Samois, the first all-women lesbian BDSM collective in the U.S. They were clear that kink didn’t contradict feminism; in fact, they saw it as part of a sex-positive message, standing up to feminists who opposed BDSM. ### Related Roles - Leatherman - Leatherwoman - Leatherperson - Leather Daddy - Leather Mommy - Leather Top - Leather bottom - Leather Slut - Leatherboy - Leathergirl - Leatherboi - Leather pony - Leather Dog - Leather pup - Leather Cat - Leather