my perspective

• Hello curious, That is a common but great question. There are various ways one could answer if the question were more specific. Addressing the question "why do lesbians dress ... like stereotypical males?" Before answering the question: I am assuming you are speaking of women identifying as (butch or diesel dyke) lesbians dressing in mens clothes NOT transgenered identities. And not all lesbian women dress in mens clothing and have short hair. Ok now in terms of the butch and diesel dyke lesbians It is interesting they are simply portraying a masculine physical appearence. Gender and sex are two different things. Masculine traits are usually defined by a society and imposed on males but being masculine or being male are NOT the same thing. Just as being feminine and being female are not the same. Gender can be broken into actions or appearence. Your question addresses gender to be simply an appearance but women demonstrate masculinity in actions as well. I put gender on a spectrum (I forget this theorest who coined this) so on a line masculinity and feminity sit on the opposite ends of that same gernder line spectrum. A person can sit anywhere on that spectrum for either appearance or actions they have adopted. Keep in mind that appearance and actions do not have to sit on the same spot of the spectrum. I figure that someone dressing a cetain way is what they like (period) a display of masculinity that they are comfortable with and is part of their identity. Again this is only my opinion but I find my perspective changes a little depending on the people I meet. I simply think of gender as seperate from sex. so they look like males because that is one form of masculinity we provide for males. You talk of a stereotypical male I dont know which you mean. there are lots of male stereotypes all having different hypermasculine traits. I dont know that I ansewred your questions but if nothing else I'm suggesting you consider assess terms and various ways of defining them when speaking of sex, gender and sexuality.
  
  Overall there are really attractive masculine women anc really attractive feminine women and various extremes there of.

  V.E.C 03 Apr 2009, 12:27 - Report

lesbian woman