“Puff, puff, pass” dates back to before the Ancient Greeks and Romans as a way to bring people together. Partners Taylor and Bayleigh are continuing the tradition of cannabis as connection with Dank Dykes: a queer cannabis social club in NYC. What started as a delivery service quickly turned into a monthly get-together with other LBGTQ+ cannabis enthusiasts who were looking to make friends.
Taylor and Bayleigh started their small business in true lesbian fashion: they moved in together. Then, they began building their business and delivering cannabis all over the city. Customers placed orders by sending a message on Telegram, then Taylor or Bayleigh would hop in their car or on their bike to for door-to-door service. The name “Dank Dykes” came to the pair naturally one night and never left.
The Dank Dykes soon realized that there was more to the business than just delivery. “Within a month of meeting folks that we were serving, we thought, ‘Wow, we want to be friends with these people, and they would probably get along with each other too.’ That’s when we realized the desire for queer stoners to connect with each other, considering we were in the same boat ourselves,” Bayleigh told GO.
The Dank Dykes partnered with a 420-friendly venue to facilitate a small hang-out for their clients, and soon, started hosting larger monthly events. Thanks to the Dank Dykes, cannabis-lovers in the LGBTQ+ community now gather every month to share their experiences and support each other in a relaxed, inclusive environment.
In an industry that is run primarily by cishetero men, Taylor and Bayleigh know how important it is to hold queer spaces as well as support important initiatives. Taylor added, “We like to take the queer community aspect one step further by fundraising for meaningful causes and by working exclusively with queer collaborators. That way, we aren’t just coming together for the sake of cannabis, we are also giving the community an opportunity to show up for each other.”
Last year, Dank Dykes hosted the Blazin Bizaar 4/20 event, which raised $2,300 for Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit that works to release and reintegrate prisoners who were convinced of nonviolent cannabis charges.
In addition to raising funds, the Dank Dykes are also raising awareness. In addition to Last Prisoner Project, Dank Dykes also are involved with G.L.I.T.S (Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society), Seeding Sovereignty, Transgender Law Center, and the Ali Forney Center.
The community of Dank Dykes has now reached over 3,000 members, a feat that continues to highlight the importance and demand for a queer-friendly and cannabis-friendly space. But with just two people and countless places to be, Bayleigh and Taylor found themselves spread pretty thin. Luckily, community members were happy to step in and help out. “The need to be in two places at once, turned into the need to be in 3 or 4 places at once. It took a lot of planning, emailing, and wearing different hats, but we’re happy to say operations are totally out of our house now, and we have a queer team of 7 who help us run things for the dankies!” Bayleigh happily shared.
If you want to join the Dank Dykes, there are a ton of opportunities. First, make sure to join their membership through their website. (Don’t worry, it’s free!) Then, mark your calendar for their 4/20 Comedy Benefit Show: LOLGBTQ+. If you can’t make that, they hold monthly events that you can hear about on their Instagram. Happy 4/20 queer stoners!
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