Femme

Femme
Classification	Gender identity and/or gender expression

Femme refers to a person whose outward gender expression matches their culture's understanding of femininity. Femme is often associated with the lesbian community, although it is not exclusive to lesbians. It can describe gender presentation on an occasion or be a term related to a person's gender identity. Some variations are "hard femme," an edgy or hard-rock expression of femininity, and "high femme", usually an extreme expression of the aesthetic aspects of femininity.

Femme is often understood on a spectrum of butch to femme or stud to femme.

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Community

History

In the United States, butch/femme roles were common in lesbian communities during the first half of the 20th century.

Flag

The femme flag, made by Tumblr account noodle in 2017.

Some time after June 27th, 2017, and before December 3rd, 2017, the Tumblr blog noodle posted a seven-striped femme flag design. Purple was specifically chosen to match the vibrant orange of the butch flag. It also took inspiration from the pink and red lesbian flag.

Perceptions and discrimination

Although working class butch/femme culture was not a simple imitation of heterosexuality, that assumption led to stereotyping and dismissal by many lesbian feminists, the medical establishment, and more affluent gays and lesbians. The dominant discourse of feminism and lesbian feminism in the 1970s and early 1980s regarded butch/femme communities as incompatible with feminism and marginalized them in lesbian history. From that perspective, butch/femme roles were criticized as reproducing patriarchy and hierarchies within women's relationships; they were not seen as being distinct, transformative, or a form of resistance to the oppression of women.

Media

Public figures

• Indya Moore
• Jonathan Van Ness