Lesbians as a group have many different ‘types’ and styles. Everyone knows about the old Butch and femme dichotomy but there are a lot more variations these days. Of course, everyone is different and not all lesbians fit into these “styles” because people are people and stereotypes are bad. (at least some are). But read on at your own risk of offense because here are some of the different types of lesbians.
1. Lipstick Lesbian. Ahh yes, the old classic. Everyone knows this term and the definition for how to spot one. Basically, if you look at her and she looks like a straight girl. I am not talking about a femme here, I am talking about the whole works. The makeup, Jewellery, dresses, and heels. If you would walk past her in the bar thinking she is the straight cling-on friend then she is probably a lipstick lesbian.
2. The Butch Lesbian. Butch lesbians are often very easy to spot. With their tattooed arms, undercuts, and the dykey swagger. They are hot stuff. Hobbies generally include sports, riding motorcycles, and fixing things around the house. They also tend to be easily identifiable by their button-up shirts and their carabina.
3. Femme Lesbian. Similar to a lipstick but one station back. The femme will be girly but usually with a lighter touch. Light makeup, less emphasis on high fashion clothes and they can still get down and dirty on the soccer field. Not to be confused with a lipstick a seasoned lesbian will still have her gaydar ping when shes around a femme lesbian.
3. The Chapstick lesbian. They sit in the middle of the road and are not quite masculine enough to be defined as butch but not quite girly enough to be a femme. You will find them wearing jeans and a t-shirt and they are usually pretty laid back. A lot of our famous lesbian sport starts would probably fall into this category in my opinion.
4. The Alternative Lesbian. (Sometimes known as cottagecore lesbian) These are the hippies of yesteryear. You will recognise them from their Dangerfield clothes and a septum piercing. They are usually also wearing doc martins and attending protests to do with animal or human rights. Most commonly they will be vegan or vegetarian.
5. The Power lesbian- the first person you should be thinking of is Bette from the L word. The power lesbian is always found in her best jumpsuit or professional workwear. She usually has some sort of high-flying job and is cashed up. The power lesbian will always take charge but can sometimes be a little tightly wound.
6. The Hasbian. This could be slightly rude but ahh well it is true. This is your Lindsay lohan/Anne Heche types, who dated women but then have gone on to date or marry men (whilst not identifying as bisexual) Remember when wild Lindsay was dating Samantha Ronson but then said publicly “we were friends more than anything….” Ummm yeah okay girl whatever you say. *eye roll*
7.Baby Dykes. These are young women who are just entering the lesbian world and have not quite defined their style yet. They need to be taken under the wing of some more experienced lesbians who can show them the way.
This list is obviously to be taken in jest as people are people and they do not have to fit into a box. It is interesting though how gay and lesbian culture has formed “types” in a different way to the straight world. We don’t hear of the 7 different types of straight women. Or maybe we do but I just haven’t? Who knows. The point is putting lesbians in the box of butch and femme in previous generations was a way for heterosexual society to understand us. They could not imagine a relationship that did not have someone taking on the more ‘male’ role. Now that we have reclaimed so many of these styles we can choose whatever style we want. We can have two femmes dating, two butches a femme and a butch, whatever floats your boat girl.