XVII Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Symposium
31 October - 4 November 2001, Galveston, Texas, U.S.A.

Female Masculinity and the Transgendered Butch

LEV, ARLENE ISTAR U.S.A.
E-mail: info@choicesconsulting.com

As transsexualism and transgenderism have become a part of social consciousness, a greater diversity of female masculinities and sexual expressions has also become apparent. Historically it has been believed that there were fewer FTM transsexuals than MFTs, but perhaps many transgendered females have been invisible due to their acceptance within lesbian communities as "butches" which allowed them masculine identity as well as acceptance within a social community. Within the lesbian community, people who have previously identified as butches are beginning to re-evaluate their identities, and some are claiming the word transgendered. Although some are FTM or transsexual, many are seeing themselves as dual-gendered, bi-gendered, two-spirited, or transgendered butches. Raising questions about the overlap of sexual and gender identities, some transgendered butches are choosing to begin hormone therapy and have chest surgery while remaining in "lesbian" relationships with lesbian identified partners. The experiences of transgendered butches will be explored as part of the spectrum of female masculinities.