Gay femme

My parents are working-class white evangelicals who adopted me from Guatemala when I was a month old. As Sam goes on, “It’s…about the choices…[one] make[s] regarding their outward presentation,” and is entirely separate from gender identity.

Now more than ever, to be a femme is to reclaim one's identity as a feminine-presenting person, and expel that identification of its once patriarchal, oppressive expectations.

Inclusivity means actively dismantling barriers to access and addressing exclusionary behaviors, ensuring that everyone—no matter their gender expression or identity—feels like they belong.

Resources for Exploring Lesbian Identities

If you’re interested in learning more about the spectrum of lesbian identities, these resources are a great starting point:

• Books:

  • “Stone Butch Blues” by Leslie Feinberg

  • “Femmes of Power: Exploding Queer Femininities” by Ulrika Dahl and Del LaGrace Volcano

• Online Communities:

• Podcasts and Media:

  • Bad Queers Podcast

  • The Butch and Femme Podcast

From butch and femme to stem, stud, and beyond, the spectrum of lesbian identities is a testament to the diversity and richness of the queer community.

These dynamics were seen as “perversion of lesbian identity” and rehashing of heteronormativity (A brief history of butch and femme: Living gender outside the binary — The One Woman Project).

But I mean, I also have a lot to do besides talk about this to every person.

Today, lesbians express their gender and sexuality in myriad ways that defy traditional labels, embracing fluidity, diversity, and individual authenticity. This identity encourages the breaking down of rigid gender norms and celebrates the diverse, fluid, and transformative ways individuals experience and present their gender.

Some lesbians identify as non-binary, meaning they do not see themselves strictly as male or female.

This kind of bias can lead to feelings of inadequacy or isolation, as individuals may feel pressured to conform to specific standards within their own communities.

The portrayal of lesbians in mainstream media continues to be limited, often reinforcing narrow stereotypes and neglecting the full spectrum of lesbian identities.

They argued that such identities might perpetuate outdated notions of masculinity and femininity, instead of challenging them. They are shaving their legs, as they do each morning. Femme has been used to describe contemporary feminism that rejects the gender binary and acknowledges that misogyny as well as the patriarchy and how they negatively impact all feminine people, not just women.