WLRN's Thistle Pettersen Interviews Lesbian Feminist Issy Dickinson

Issy Dickinson is a Lesbian-Feminist Activist and one of the Organisers of the Lesbian Strength March and Rally that took place in her hometown of Leeds in the UK on September 7th, 2019. Ms. Dickinson is studying for a Masters Degree at the University of Leeds and spoke with Thistle via skype on September 18th about the lead-up to the March and what the March was like on-the-ground the day it happened. This interview if full of useful information and lively discussion for any budding feminist activists out there who wish to learn how to organize uplifting and positive demonstrations on the streets. The Lesbian Strength March was born out of months of weekly meetings and planning sessions a handful of creative and dedicated women attended to make sure the marchers and speakers would be safe and have an enjoyable time. The two main organizations putting the March on were ReSisters and Get the L Out UK. Both had members who had attended Pride events in Lancaster and in Leeds prior to creating their own march, separate from regular Pride. Please view video coverage of what happened to the lesbian presence at Lancaster Pride in late June of this year linked to below. It is important to understand the prior situation on the streets some of these same demonstrators faced that day in Lancaster in the hands of the transactivists. youtube.com/watch?v=tcX11sKKUWM&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1TPT4fwlDR54KC7Hv2vuKPAasNqoJcxBsC6wRHkf96RS2YT5X0l5aj22U Please also view the rally speeches given at the March: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuU_ArcIWrBmHlqyY5pww5Q From the frustration, trauma and demoralizing experiences the pro-lesbian activists had at these two Pride events, fertile soil was cultivated for creating the Lesbian Strength March on September 7th. What the story of this March shows is that we have the choice to go forward in solidarity and in our sisterhood, or to be demoralized and fearful because transactivism has gotten so ugly and in many cases, the powers-that-be, such as the police, are not on our side. These Leeds sisters and sisters from across the United Kingdom demonstrated to the world on September 7th that our sisterhood truly can be powerful and our bonds undiminished by transactivist attacks. Listen to this compelling telling of Issy's stories of her organizing experiences in a tightly knit group of ten women and then her glorious moment in the sun with her sisters the day the March happened.