Butch lesbians often identify as masculine. They wear male clothes and take on masculine careers or jobs. They may also dress femininely.
They can be found in jobs that traditionally require men, such as police work, racing car driving, and the military. They typically prefer sturdier fabrics and more formal clothing.
Butchness
Butchness is a lesbian subculture that can take on many forms. Some women define themselves as studs or soft butches, while others identify as butches and femmes or femme only. Whatever the identifying language, butch and femme culture holds a place in queer history that is both radical and complex.
In its earliest incarnations, working-class lesbians used butch and femme identities as the only way to declare their difference from heterosexual norms and to claim public space. Later twentieth-century identity politics based on a particular brand of lesbian feminism dismissed butch and femme dynamics as sexist and dangerously close to replicating heterosexuality.
Young butches and femmes are at higher risk for substance use, including cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana abuse. Studies comparing different sexual orientations have also shown that butches experience higher levels of stress than their femme counterparts.
Sport dyke
Although dyke was a slur in the past, it’s been reclaimed by lesbian community members for a more positive and inclusive meaning. For example, the term is often used to describe sporty lesbians who enjoy sports and look hot in leggings. This term also applies to women who play football or other competitive sports. Examples of such athletes are baby dykes, diesel dykes, granola dykes and sporty dykes.
These women athletes have scaled cis-sexist and heteronormative barriers to compete in the sporting world. They have fought for their equality and deserve recognition, especially since they have been subjected to homophobic bullying. This has been a recurring issue in the past, but we can thank people like Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Sheryl Swoopes for helping to break down these barriers.
Stone butch
Leslie Feinberg’s 1993 novel Stone Butch Blues has become a cult classic. It is revered as revolutionary, affirming the worth and dignity of LGBT and gender non-conforming women in a society that denigrates them.
Feinberg’s characterization of working-class butch lesbian Jess Goldberg reveals the importance of class, race, and ability in experiences of queerness. Her depiction of Jess’s reliance on the support of other butches in her life highlights the role of solidarity in LGBTQ activism and community.
Stone Butch Blues demonstrates how butch and femme identities are enmeshed with patriarchal structures and ableism, including a certain type of feminism that marginalizes butches of color and masculine-of-center lesbians. This rethinking of what lesbian feminism looks like extends to butch and femme identities, and a future for them beyond historicization and gender binaries.
Stud
A butch lesbian may prefer to wear a baseball cap or other sportswear. She can also opt for a she-mullet style, which involves shaving the sides of her head and leaving the rest of her hair long. Another option is a crew cut. The haircut can be mussed up with gel for a more casual look.
The term stud can be pejorative, but many butches have reclaimed it as an affirmative label. It is used primarily to refer to black butches, although it can be applied to other people who identify as masculine, such as non-binary and genderfluid individuals.
Butch women often face societal expectations of classical femininity, which can be challenging. Cliche stereotypes of butches, such as a short, shaved look and dominance in relationships, can lead to misperceptions both within the LGBTQ community and outside of it.
Be your charming self
Butch lesbians are not characterized by their clothing, but rather by their whole vibe. They typically have a more masculine-leaning style, and their vibes exude sexiness.
Historically, butches were the main attraction at gay bars and clubs in the 1950s. In this era, when cocktails cost 10 cents, looking like a man was a clear way to signal sexuality and desire.
Today, butch/femme culture within the LGBTQ community continues to grow and evolve. While some may view butchness as traditional masculinity, others see it as a whole new category of gender identity. Showing allyship by using the correct pronouns, helping raise awareness of LGBTQ issues, and connecting with queer communities are all great ways to support butches and femmes. HER is the world’s most popular queer dating and community app.