“I Want a Dyke For President” Poem Posted in Castro District Front Yard
My friend Aubree sent this to me earlier today. She saw it posted in the front yard of a house on Ord St. between Market and 17th Sts.
Written in 1992 by Zoe Leonard an artist, activist, and member of the queer women art collective Fierce Pussy, “I want a Dyke for President” speaks to the fact that the president of the US is “always a john and never a hooker. Always a boss and never a worker, always liar, always a thief, and never caught.”
I’ve been obsessed with the poem every since I was introduced to it by Pinky Maraschino last summer, and I was feeling it especially hard during the election, considering neither candidate seemed to be in touch with marginalized people. Considering the current regime, this poem is as important now as it has ever been.
A huge reproduction of the original piece is now on permeant display on the High Line in New York City. You can watch and hear Mykki Blanco recite the poem right here. Check out the original version below: