Butch: Difference between revisions

A '''soft butch''', or '''stem''' ('''stud-fem'''), is a [[lesbian]] who exhibits some stereotypical butch traits without fitting the masculine stereotype associated with butch lesbians. Soft butch is on the spectrum of butch, as are stone butch and masculine, whereas on the contrary, ultra fem, high femme, and lipstick lesbian are some labels on the spectrum of lesbians with a more prominent expression of femininity, also known as [[Femme|femmes]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=Christine A.|last2=Stillman|first2=Shannon|title=Do Butch and Femme Still Attract?|journal=The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide|date=2003|volume=X|issue=4}}</ref> Soft butches have gender identities of women, but primarily display masculine characteristics; soft butches predominantly express masculinity with a touch of femininity.<ref name="rose">{{cite journal|last1=Rose|first1=Dawn|last2=Plaskow|first2=Judith|title=Yusuf Come Home: Parashat Miketz (genesis 41:1-44:17)|journal=Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible|date=2009|page=62}}</ref>  

The "hardness", or label depicting one's level of masculine expression as a butch is dependent upon the fluidity of her [[gender expression]].<ref name="halberstam">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=UYAi9OEYRekC&pg=PA123&dq=soft+butch&cd=4|title=Female Masculinity|first=Judith|last=Halberstam|authorlink=Judith Halberstam|publisher=Duke University Press|year=1998|edition=5page=123|isbn=978-0-8223-2243-6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719075353/https://books.google.com/books?id=UYAi9OEYRekC&pg=PA123&dq=soft+butch&cd=4&hl=en#v=onepage&q=%22soft%20butch%22&f=false|archive-date=19 July 2023|access-date=24 November 2019|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> Soft butches might want to express themselves through their clothing and hairstyle in a more masculine way, but their behavior in a more traditionally feminine way.<ref name="rose"/> For example, these traits of a soft butch may or may not include short hair, clothing that was designed for men, and masculine mannerisms and behaviors. Soft butches generally appear [[androgynous]], rather than adhering to strictly feminine or masculine norms and [[gender identity|gender identities.]]<ref>{{Cite journal|title = The Coming-Out Process of Young Lesbian and Bisexual Women: Are There Butch/Femme Differences in Sexual Identity Development?|journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior|date = 2007-09-26|issn = 0004-0002|pmc = 3189348|pmid = 17896173|pages = 34–49|volume = 38|issue = 1|doi = 10.1007/s10508-007-9221-0|language = en|first = Margaret|last = Rosario|first2 = Eric W.|last2 = Schrimshaw|first3 = Joyce|last3 = Hunter|first4 = Anna|last4 = Levy-Warren}}</ref> Soft butches generally physically, sexually, and romantically express themselves in more masculine than feminine ways in the majority of those categories.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Carpenter|first1=Karen|last2=McKenzie|first2=Matthew|title=Love on a Continuum|journal=Social and Economic Studies|date=2011|volume=60|issue=1|page=118}}</ref>

In addition to a soft butch's gender expression through her outward appearance, she also has a distinctive way of sexually expressing herself. Soft butch women might want to have a more passive role sexually or romantically in their relationships, which is generally associated with feminine sexual behavior.<ref name="rose"/> This is an example of how a soft butch's sexuality and outward appearance are not completely masculine, but have some feminine traits. Conversely, stone butches are less fluid in their sexuality and do not want to receive sexual contact from their sexual partners.<ref name="halberstam"/> This desire to express both masculinity and femininity through one's gender and sexuality is clearly seen in soft butch women, but also across many people of a variety of sexual orientations.<ref name="rose"/>