So in the lesbian community there is a name for a masculine-of-certer woman: butch. Is it appropriation to call yourself a butch while you identify as straight? For me it feels a bit so. Is there such a name for the same kind of person that can also be applied to a person with a more hetero-leaning orientation?
It's definitely not ideal for straight women to ID as butch. It is a term made by and for the lesbian community, so a lot of lesbians do not feel comfortable with straight women using it to describe themselves. I think just calling yourself a masculine woman is your best bet.
So opinions are divided. Hm. I'm still in the same place. I'll go look for something different... Gender expression is a confusing topic. Masculine could go, I guess, but it's so dry and empty... It's an eternal problem. Tomboy has a connotation of a child. Butch - of a lesbian. Masculine - negative and makes people deny it, or some of them treat it as being anti-feminist... Gordian knot, indeed.
One of my friends is a cis female. She's basically my best friend. She's straight. She also really loves video games, working on cars, and has facial hair she doesn't care enough to do anything about a lot of the time. She used to be in the Army and is just the most awesome person I know. She usually describes herself the way guys describe themselves - by what she does. She calls herself a "gamer" and a "gearhead". I think, whatever it is about you that makes you masculine, maybe just put it on display? Words like "athletic" - or even if it's just clothes "rugged"? Hopefully that gives you a place to start. And I mean, you know what, if you want to use "butch", really what's the worst that will happen, people will think you're gay?
