What Is a Masc Lesbian?
A “masc lesbian” is a lesbian who usually identifies as a female, but has a masculine gender expression. This may reflect in them having short hair, wearing baggy clothes, wearing suits to special occasions, etc. But, of course, this is only a generalization, and a masc lesbian can express themself in many different ways.
Masc Lesbian vs Butch Lesbian: Are They the Same?
Are They the Same?
Not exactly. While “masc” can be used to describe anyone who presents as masculine (queer women, gay men, straight men etc.), “butch”, in the modern context, is mostly used to describe lesbians, although it can be used to describe gay men or non-binary people as well.
In addition, “butch” is more of a social identity in lesbian circles, since butch lesbians historically took on a certain protective role of their partner or of their community, while masc generally just means someone who presents masculinely.
Similarities
In general, butch and masc lesbians both present masculinely to the people around them. They often have short hair and wear baggy or men’s clothing, and don’t adhere to traditional expectations of femininity.
While not all masc lesbians identify as “butch”, I’d say that most butch lesbians would be considered “masc” simply because they present in a masculine way.
Differences
While others can describe a lesbian (or anyone else for that matter) as “masc” to describe the masculinity of their appearance, “butch” is generally an identity that someone gives themself, and it’s less appropriate to label someone as “butch” without them telling you to do so, as opposed to just calling them “masc”.
However, this doesn’t mean that someone can’t say they’re “masc” as part of their identity either.
Masc Lesbian Flag
While there isn’t a specific “masc lesbian flag”, there are a few butch lesbian flags, the most common being the one above. It features seven colored stripes, in a gradient ranging from indigo at the top, fading to white in the middle stripe, and then to a deep purple stripe at the bottom.
Notable Masc Lesbians
Lena Waithe
Lena Waithe is a well-known actress and screenwriter who is famous for her roles in comedies like Master of None, and for producing the drama film Queen & Slim. She’s an actress with considerable range, having played both serious and comedic roles, and she’s generally one of the most well-known masc lesbians in Hollywood. When I was assembling this list of masc lesbians, I thought of Lena Waithe first!
Lea DeLaria
Lea DeLaria is probably best known for her role as “Big Boo” in Orange Is the New Black. In the show, she plays a masc lesbian, and is also a masc lesbian in real life. So, she knows the role inside and out. She now posts often on her Instagram, which has all-around good vibes.
Stormé DeLarverie
Stormé DeLarverie is a pretty pivotal figure in masc lesbian and queer history as a whole. She’s a butch lesbian who’s assault by the police lit the spark that became the Stonewall uprising. She was also a well-known drag king who crossdressed and performed at various famous venues around the U.S.
Tig Notaro
Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comedian well-known for her dry, deadpan humor, and for talking about her experience as a masc lesbian. Having gotten a double-mastectomy after struggling with breast cancer, she decided not to have breast implants put in afterwards, adding to her overall androgynous appearance.
Anne Lister
Anne Lister was an English diarist (meaning someone famous for writing a diary) and maybe one of the first documented masc lesbians. She documented her life extensively, including her naughty escapades with other women. She also dressed in a masculine style, often wearing dark colors and long jackets similar to men’s jackets. This style of dress actually got her the nickname “Gentleman Jack”, with a recent TV show about her life taking on the same name.
History of Masc Lesbians
Since “masc” is not a term that was created exclusively for the lesbian community, it wasn’t adopted to refer to lesbians until relatively recently. “Masc” is generally used more by younger people to describe anyone who presents in a masculine way, while “butch” is most widely used by an older generation of lesbians, and hasn’t caught on as much with younger lesbians, though this isn’t to say that young people never use it.
“Masc” also evolved out of a need to describe lesbians in a way that isn’t derogatory, since “butch” has been used as a demeaning term in the past, although it’s not usually used this way today.
Types of Masc Lesbians
Butch Lesbian
A butch lesbian is a lesbian who falls on the masculine end of the gender spectrum, and often has “masculine” attributes like short hair and men’s clothing. But, butchness is not only defined by a lesbian’s look, but also by their role in society. For example, butch lesbians sometimes take up the role a man would traditionally play, such as paying the bill on a date.
Stud Lesbian
“Stud” is a term usually used to describe a black lesbian who presents in a masculine way. Like butch lesbians, a stud lesbian may have short hair, wear baggy clothing, etc., but is often seen as being a little more stylish than a butch lesbian, although there’s no rule saying that a butch lesbian can’t be stylish either.
Soft Masc/Soft Butch Lesbian
A “soft masc” or “soft butch” lesbian is a lesbian who exhibits some masculine traits such as short hair or wearing baggy clothing, but doesn’t only express themself through these traits. They may also wear makeup or jewelry. This definition is pretty fluid, but is generally meant to describe a lesbian who is a mix of masculine, feminine, or other.
Masc Lesbian Fashion: Hairstyle, Outfit, and Makeup
Hairstyle
By and large, masc lesbians usually have short hair. But, this isn’t always true. There are other hairstyles that can be masculine, such as a man bun or cornrows. It all depends on how someone wants to express themself. I’ve also met masc lesbians who have long hair in not a particularly masculine style but still have other masculine attributes to make up for it.
Outfit
Masc lesbians often wear baggy clothes or just shop in the men’s section, since it’s the easiest way to find masculine clothing. They often wear dark or muted colors, similar to how a lot of cis men dress, and often wear suits to special occasions instead of dresses. This doesn’t mean masc lesbians don’t wear jewelry either, many wear more gender neutral jewelry like rings or a neck chain.
Makeup
In general, masc lesbians don’t wear makeup. However, like any trend in the queer community, there are exceptions. Soft masc lesbians sometimes wear makeup, and some masc lesbians are drag kings (women who crossdress as men for performance) who need a whole lot of makeup to pull off convincing facial hair on stage.
Common Fashion Brands
Again, since masc lesbians often just wear baggy clothes or clothes from the men’s section, there aren’t that many brands specifically for masc lesbians. However, there are a few indie brands that do cater to them, such as HauteButch and underwear brand Tomboyx that sells a lot of boy shorts for women and afab people!
Where to Meet Masc Lesbians?
Lesbian Bars
In most major cities anywhere in the world, there will be at least a few lesbian bars. And some bars even cater specifically to masc lesbians. This is one of the best ways to meet masc lesbians in your area because it’s a self-selecting community. There’s no need to look too hard to find a lesbian community, since the community is centered around the bar itself.
HER
HER is a dating app specifically for queer women, where you can meet many different types of lesbians. Although there’s no way in the app to specify which type of lesbian you’re looking for, you can browse through the people in your area and choose someone based on how they identify in their bio.
Shinjuku Nichome – Japan
Since we are a Japan-based company, we have to mention our favorite spot to meet queer people of all varieties, including lesbians, in Japan: Shinjuku Nichome. Nichome is Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ district, and it has a variety of lesbian bars with a long history in the area. There are women only bars such as Dorobune, and all-gender, lesbian-focused bars such as Tamago. Either way, you’re bound to meet some masc lesbians here.
Social Media Groups
Of course, one of the best ways to meet other people who share the same identity or interests as you is through social media. There are a multitude of LGBTQ+ focused social media groups out there, but one that stands out is the LESBIANS + FEMME + BUTCH Facebook group. It’s a lesbian-focused group and, as the name may suggest, has many masc lesbians as members.
More Lesbian Terms You Need To Know
There are a variety of different terms to describe different lesbian identities. Since it may be overwhelming at first, why not read this article to more clearly understand the many different lesbian terms and identities out there?
Conclusion
“Masc lesbian” is a pretty broad term, and can be used to describe a wide variety of people. However, most masc lesbians share common traits such as their style and maybe even their mannerisms. If you’re wondering whether you might consider yourself a masc lesbian, I hope this article gave you a clearer picture about which type of masc lesbian you may be!