Gender Troubles: The Butches

The Bay Area lesbians in Lisa Plourde's documentary vary by age and race but all gravitate towards clothing and hairstyles that are typically described as masculine. They refer to themselves as butch, but eschew male and gender-neutral pronouns. Most rejected bows, frills, and the color pink from an early age. Lenn thought she would grow out of it, but didn't, although as a young adult she would add the occasional feminine touch, like drop earrings, so as not to call too much attention to herself. Lenn feels more comfortable now that she has stopped dressing for other people. Lisa, the filmmaker, doesn't identify as feminine, but she isn't wild about the word "masculine" either, because she isn't trying to pass as a man. "I'm just trying to be myself," she explains. Alison, who teaches literature, also questions what people mean by masculine when the concept varies by culture and era. Furthermore, none of these women describe themselves as transgender, although some observers have assumed they were in the process of transitioning. Lisa complains that people have asked her about it so often that it feels more like coercion than curiosity. Nonetheless, some of these women initially rejected the butch identity, because it seemed limiting and stereotypical. They may not look feminine, but that doesn't mean they have traditionally masculine interests. It just depends: Lisa, for instance, loves sports, but Alison doesn't. The women also talk about issues with doctors, office environments, and public restrooms. They are primarily concerned with representation, which their positive presence in this film helps provide. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)