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Butch and femme are terms often used in lesbian and gay communities to describe masculine and feminine traits, respectively. But if people prefer to look one way, that doesn't mean they have to give up the other. Twitter user Freedie Brooks asked people who can pull off both to share their "flyest" photos and they delivered! In just a few days, Freedie's thread received over 82K likes and 4.5K responses. Straight, gay, trans... it doesn't matter, everyone's participating, and they're all beautiful people.

The word femme is taken from the French word for woman. On the other hand, the word butch, meaning "masculine", may have been coined by abbreviating the word butcher, as first noted in George Cassidy's nickname, Butch Cassidy. However, the exact origin of the word remains unknown.

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    There is, however, an ongoing debate about to whom the terms butch and femme can apply. Particularly, whether transgender individuals can be identified in this way. For example, Jack Halberstam has stated that transgender men cannot be considered butch since it constitutes a conflation of maleness with butchness. He further argues that butchfemme is uniquely geared to work in lesbian relationships.

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    K98171 Report

    Writer Jewelle Gomez argues to think in a broader way. According to her, butch and femme women in the earlier twentieth century may have been a closeted transgender expression.

    Some commentators have interpreted the antipathy toward female butches and male femmes as transphobia, although female butches and male femmes are not always transgender, and indeed, even some heterosexuals of both genders openly display being gender fluid.

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    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    swavey_cathaay Report

    Foxxy
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is it just me or does femme look a bit like Kelly rowland

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    Like the term butch, femme can be used as an adjective or a noun. Femmes are not "read" as lesbians or queer unless they are with a butch partner, since they conform to traditional standards and gender roles of femininity. Because they do not express masculine qualities, femmes were particularly vexing to those sexologists and psychoanalysts who tried to argue that all lesbians wished their gender identity was masculine.

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    The term butch denotes a degree of masculinity displayed by a female individual beyond what would be considered typical of a tomboy. People have compared butch women to an effeminate men in the sense that both genders are historically linked to homosexual communities and stereotypes. Reportedly, one 1990s survey of butches showed that about 50% of them were primarily attracted to femmes, while 25% reported being usually attracted to other butches.

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    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    _HerShe_Kissed Report

    Zoe's Mom
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Holy Smokes: If I wasn't aware of the topic, I swear that the one on the left was male. She can rock both beautifully.

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    #8

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    gyorzeppeli Report

    #9

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

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    Kioh81
    Community Member
    Premium
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one is rocking the change up too!

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    #10

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    sadinthebooth Report

    Lisa J
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She's very pretty, but she is femme in all the photos. Not even androgynous.

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    #14

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    logan_salad Report

    Christina Sersif
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Looks more femme on the left than right

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    #17

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    KarmasYin Report

    AloofFox
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    a) yes, beautiful b) not a disaster and c) YASS QUEEN

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    #18

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    bigassmood Report

    Celtic Pirate Queen
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wish I had the courage to go "shaved head". I swear my Mother must have "papoosed" me. The back of my head is really flat.

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    #22

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    itsarifitz Report

    Kaisu
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She has such gorgeous facial features!

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    #23

    Women-Stud-vs.-Fem-Transformation-Photos

    LxstPvrvdise Report

    Joanne
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks really good in both. I also really like the clothes and hair in both photos!

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    Lolipopunicorn
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had to take a double take. The left pic looks like Tamar Braxton.

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    Pretty Pangolin
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So did she shave her head or is that a wig? (trying not to be ignorant).

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    Rue22Ave Report

    Skye Ramadge
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would do this but my camera wont work

    m. b
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OMG could cry out loud! I feel you, babes! No matter what stage you're on. You're the greatest! There were times I went to party in my PJs...so all cool!

    mild anxiety! at the disco
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    omigod being too lazy to put on proper clothes when in public omigod special snowflake

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