I just got back from Ohio Lesbian Festival. I came into contact with many different characters and personalities. We have a huge, diverse, dynamic, and uniquely beautiful community as lesbians. So in honor of the incredible women I met, here are 10 dykes I met, fell in love with, and had to capture at Ohio Lesbian Festival. The Rave Femme This woman arrives with a vice for everyone in her purse. She came prepared to have a good time. She parked her tent in the Oh Zone — home of sex, drugs and folk — and has planned her work shift around her hangovers. She packed her whole prom dress for the Femme Parade and was tits out five minutes into arriving on The Land. This girl knows how to party. The Arm Wrestling Champ This butch showed up to the arm wrestling competition wearing medals from festivals past. She has been preparing for this moment for months and doesn’t mess around. Don’t be fooled by the mean mug, however. Those big arm wrestling guns are just as good for hugs. Ivy League Femme She’s smart, single, and here to break butch hearts. She attended all the workshops and blew your mind with her input. You feel smarter just hanging out with her. If you can’t zoom in on the shirt, it says, “god is watching so give her a good show.” You best believe she did. Old School Butch/Femme Couple The old school butch/femme couple is easily spotted by their coordinated outfits (no doubt lovingly selected by the femme). Their image hearkens back to an era of dyke bars and women’s book stores, and their deep love for one another is contagious. They give the rest of us hope that our lesbian longing will pay off someday with sweet, lesbian domesticity. The Grill Goddess I had the privilege of helping this woman for my work shift. She put an incredible amount of work decorating the space and preparing the food for a traditional West African meal for the workers. She was infinitely patient with me as I fumbled my way around the grill and was willing to share her knowledge with any woman willing to ask. I apologize for the quality of the photo, but this woman NEVER STOPS. She started working on the meal at 2:00 pm and I wasn’t able to catch her free until 8:30 that night. If you’re reading this, thank you, Kate! Butch Model Whether she’s arm wrestling, tent pitching, or uhhh… sitting, someone is thirsting after her. We stan a woman pushing the boundaries of aesthetics, style, and what it means to be butch. You can check out her actual model moment with the Aerie Real Campaign. (Sorry, she’s taken, ladies.) Leather Femme The Femme Parade produced no shortage of iconic looks. This woman in her tie dye and matching leather with pink hearts came ready to strut. She told me her look was “kinky hippie femme,” and I am here for it. Sweet Stud She told me her girlfriend usually dresses her as we bonded over the holes in our shorts. But we thought she looked alright rocking the Lesbians Don’t Owe You Shit tee. Her shirt may give off a “take no shit” energy, but she was approachable, gentle, and kind. This woman was a great advocate for the Women of Color Space, so I’d be remiss not to take this opportunity to express how grateful I was that Ohio Lesbian Festival made the effort to create the space for lesbians of color and to educate festival goers of its importance. Lesbian Journalist Here I am getting rained on in front of my favorite food truck. Worth it. I’d like to take the chance to thank the festival organizers, the women I met who made me feel at home, and the women who let me capture memories with photographs. I went to the festival alone, unsure of what to expect. I was reminded time and time again, however, that lesbians take care of their own. I was never really alone and felt deeply cared for by virtual strangers. Until next year, sisters. (T-shirt available on Etsy here.)
