What is a dyke?

Answer 1

First, the word in waterway control can be written as dyke or dike. In the US, we use dike. A dike or dikes are a system of levees that control the level of water in a river or other waterway. Dikes control the height and flow of water beyond the point of the dike.

"Dyke" as a term used about Gay womenA dyke is a masculine looking, gay woman. Not all masculine looking women are gay. Some women feel more masculine than others and this has little to do with their sexual preferences. A fem is a very feminie looking gay woman. Just as not all masculine women are not necessarily gay, not all feminie women are straight/ heterosexual.

A dyke is a derogatory term for LESBIAN. Femmes are dykes as Butches are dykes. Butch is the "masculine" looking woman who may or may not be a lesbian. Butch = masculine looking dyke, Femme = feminine looking dyke, Stud = urban dyke, Boi = boyish dyke. List goes on and on and on.

A dyke is just a colloquial term for a lesbian. Many people associate it with the term "butch" but this is inaccurate. Dyke is something usually self-proclaimed, and a reclaiming of a word that was previously used in a derogitory way.

It's used in circles of gay women, but not all lesbians identify with the term. It's generally not a good idea to refer to somebody else as a dyke unless you know them personally, and are gay yourself.

Also, as noted in the first explanation, don't assume another person is talking about a lesbian woman. The person might be only talking about a riverway "dike" or dyke.