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