"Dyke Central" Is The Amazing Intersectional Show We Didn't Know Existed
When Giovannie Espiritu reached out to us about Dyke Central, I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was that it was a show about dykes of color and I figured, "well, that's gotta be pretty cool." I didn't expect my mind to be blown or my heart to be filled with shitting unicorns. And yet, my brain is in pieces and my heart is still leaking rainbows.
Dyke Central is a show (available through Amazon Prime) based in Oakland. It follows a group of gay, trans, and queer characters as they try to find their footing in their love lives and careers. It's reminiscent of The L Word, except way better because the characters are all people who could actually exist. I've met and been friends with people who are a lot like the characters in this show.
"Dyke Central is a pure dramedy, with equal doses of laughter and seriousness in every episode."
It also doesn't hurt that the characters are people of color. Plus, being masculine of center is not demonized - two big differences between not only this show and The L Word, but between this and a lot of shows. It's not very often shows welcome all gender identities and expressions. More often than most, queer shows focus on femme and/or tomboyish characters, treating them as the only appropriate way to be queer. Dyke Central celebrates the vast array of identities, and allows each character to be unapologetically themselves.
Now let's get to the actual content. Dyke Central is a pure dramedy, with equal doses of laughter and seriousness in every episode. We eagerly follow Gin (Giovannie Espiritu) as she wins the heart of several women - and then has to figure out how to make them go away. We raise our eyebrows at Jackie (Comika Hartford), whose basic bitch level is out of this world. We chuckle at Gin's friend Oli (Therese Garcia), whose deadpan delivery is a beautiful thing to behold.
On the other hand, we also feel for the struggles that some of the characters go through, ranging from dealing with homophobia, feeling supported in their relationships, and being accepted just as they are by the person they love. There are some serious issues that are addressed in the show, and I appreciate that the writers made a point to bring them up. It's also refreshing that they did it in a way where the issues are cushioned with love and laughter, and often resolved by the character at hand with strength.
Dyke Central has had trouble getting noticed by a large audience, primarily due to the elements that make it a great show to begin with. It is a show with strong queer characters of color, living their lives unapologetically. The characters thrive, and despite some struggles, they are happy.
Queer people of color and trans folx aren't supposed to be happy. We aren't supposed to be able to carve a world out for ourselves that is suited specifically to our needs. We are supposed to struggle. We are supposed to be vindicated eventually (maybe). We are supposed to be saved by the same society that labeled us as outcasts, to begin with. Dyke Central says "fuck that." And I repeat after them: "fuck that."
If you have Amazon Prime, watch this show. If you don't, find someone with the service and settle into their couch for a couple hours. Then share it. We need more content like this. The only way to assure that Dyke Central gets a second season and that more quality shows like this one gets made is if we watch them, and I promise you won't regret watching this one.
Check out the link here to the show page on Amazon Prime!