Types of lesbians, explained

Quick definitions

Butch

A butch lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person whose style, energy or gender expression leans masculine. Butch is about presentation and identity, not about who you date or what happens in private. Many butches feel most like themselves in traditionally masculine clothes, roles and ways of carrying themselves.

Soft Butch

A soft butch is a lesbian or sapphic person who leans masculine in style but carries a gentle, soft or easygoing energy. Think short hair and a cardigan, sneakers and a soft voice. Soft butch sits between butch and androgynous, with a little extra tenderness.

Futch

Futch is a blend of femme and butch, used by lesbian and sapphic people who feel connected to both sides. A futch might wear lipstick with a flannel, or switch between a dress and a suit depending on the day. It describes balance and flexibility rather than a fixed look.

Androgynous

An androgynous lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person whose style blends masculine and feminine cues into something in between or hard to categorize. The look is often minimal, curated and a little artsy. Androgyny is about presentation, and androgynous people can be any gender, including women and nonbinary people.

Chapstick

A chapstick lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person with a sporty, casual, low maintenance style. She usually sits between femme and butch, with lip balm instead of lipstick and sneakers instead of heels. The name is a playful counterpoint to the lipstick lesbian.

Granola

A granola lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person with an earthy, outdoorsy and low effort style, often called 'crunchy'. Think hiking boots, thrifted fleece, houseplants and a deep love of nature. The look is natural and practical, with values that often lean toward sustainability.

Femme

A femme lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person whose style, energy or gender expression leans feminine, and who claims that femininity on her own terms. Femme is not just 'looking straight'. It is a queer identity with its own history, often tied to intention, warmth and pride.

Lipstick

A lipstick lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person with a very feminine, glamorous and polished style. She often loves makeup, styled hair and fashion, and treats getting ready as a creative ritual. Lipstick is usually seen as one flavor of femme, turned all the way up.

Hard Femme

A hard femme is a lesbian or sapphic person whose femininity comes with edge, boldness and assertiveness. Think dark lipstick, leather jackets, sharp eyeliner and a voice that does not shrink. Hard femme says that being feminine and being tough are not opposites.

Cottagecore

A cottagecore lesbian is a lesbian or sapphic person drawn to a soft, romantic, pastoral aesthetic: flowers, baking, linen dresses and daydreams of a cottage in the countryside. It is less a strict identity and more a beloved vibe. At its heart is a fantasy of gentle, slow, cozy love between women.

Stud

A stud is a masculine presenting lesbian or sapphic person, and the term comes from Black and Latina lesbian communities in the United States. Stud is similar to butch in some ways, but it carries its own culture, style and history. Many in the community ask that non-Black people not use it for themselves.

Stem

A stem is a lesbian or sapphic person whose style blends stud and femme, and the word is a mix of those two terms. It comes from the same Black and Latina lesbian communities in the US as stud. A stem might wear a fitted cap and lashes, or switch between streetwear and a dress.