Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme

This chapter explores the ways in which a lesbian community of practice perform a ‘butch’ identity. It uses discourse analysis to consider an interaction between them, showing a shared sense of self to be produced which rejects traditional symbols of femininity. It is argued that performing a ‘butc...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jones, Lucy
Other Authors: Milani, Tommaso M.
Format: Book Section
Published: Routledge 2015
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32368/
_version_ 1848794392460001280
author Jones, Lucy
author2 Milani, Tommaso M.
author_facet Milani, Tommaso M.
Jones, Lucy
author_sort Jones, Lucy
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description This chapter explores the ways in which a lesbian community of practice perform a ‘butch’ identity. It uses discourse analysis to consider an interaction between them, showing a shared sense of self to be produced which rejects traditional symbols of femininity. It is argued that performing a ‘butch’ identity is not the same as projecting a ‘masculine’ self; instead, butch identity is a way of challenging typical expectations about (heterosexual) women and femininity. ‘Butch’ identity is more complex than the mimicry of maleness, as it is often interpreted; instead, it allows lesbian women to perform an alternative, queer female identity.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T19:15:28Z
format Book Section
id nottingham-32368
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T19:15:28Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Routledge
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-323682020-05-04T17:28:06Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32368/ Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme Jones, Lucy This chapter explores the ways in which a lesbian community of practice perform a ‘butch’ identity. It uses discourse analysis to consider an interaction between them, showing a shared sense of self to be produced which rejects traditional symbols of femininity. It is argued that performing a ‘butch’ identity is not the same as projecting a ‘masculine’ self; instead, butch identity is a way of challenging typical expectations about (heterosexual) women and femininity. ‘Butch’ identity is more complex than the mimicry of maleness, as it is often interpreted; instead, it allows lesbian women to perform an alternative, queer female identity. Routledge Milani, Tommaso M. 2015-12-05 Book Section PeerReviewed Jones, Lucy (2015) Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme. In: Language and masculinities: performance, intersections, dislocations. Routledge critical studies in discourse (7). Routledge, New York, pp. 174-196. ISBN 9781317638926
spellingShingle Jones, Lucy
Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title_full Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title_fullStr Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title_full_unstemmed Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title_short Masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
title_sort masculinity in lesbian discourse: the case of butch and femme
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32368/