Riot Dogs as Gendered Revolutionary Symbols

‘Riot dogs’ have recently come to be symbols of revolution, stemming from protests in Greece and Chile, respectively, which saw free-living street dogs join humans in protests and remain despite harmful deterrents. A distinct notion of sociopolitical belonging was conferred upon these dogs by their respective communities which was linked to ascription of agency, commitment to activism, and adherence to a particular ideology. Interestingly, the five riot dogs who were named by their communities and subsequently gained the attention of international media have all been male. This discourse analysis begins with introducing the known riot dogs and the contexts in which they were active, and then moves to considering a perceived gender division of revolution. I then analyse how these dogs’ stories have been told and suggest they are informed by gendered expectations, with a focus on the most famous riot dog, Negro Matapacos of Chile. Ultimately, I suggest that part of these dogs’ symbolic legacies is anthropomorphically linked to a perceived embodiment of masculinity. I theorize that emphasizing ‘maleness’ over ‘dogness’ could perpetuate notions of a gender division in revolution and obfuscate women’s participation in social protest.