butches

In the past, the dynamic of “butch/femme” aesthetics amongst queer women has been met with a mixture of negative responses. Some argue that these terms have only served to reinforce gendered standards of behavior (i.e., one partner must be “masculine,” while the other must be “feminine”). Others argue that butch/femme identities only mirror mainstream culture and negate the queer experience. Still more would suggest that when one dresses femme, they deny their involvement with the queer community by “passing as straight.” Yet more recently, “femme” identity has experienced a resurgence as both a political term as well as personal identification, in the form of a social reclaiming. Continue Reading →