Stem
Stem usually refers to someone who blends both stud and femme qualities in their identity and presentation. A stud generally refers to a masculine-presenting Black lesbian or sapphic person, while a femme is someone who identifies with or presents in a more traditionally feminine way.
Someone who identifies as stem might mix masculine and feminine presentation at the same time, or move between the two. For example, they might generally dress in masculine clothing while also wearing makeup or other traditionally feminine elements. It’s more about identifying with both sides of that expression than occupying a fixed halfway point.
Someone may use stem because neither stud nor femme alone feels accurate. For some Black queer people, it can also connect their presentation specifically to the language and culture surrounding stud identity, rather than using broader terms such as butch.
Origins of the Term Stem
Stem is a blend of "stud" and "femme." There's evidence of Black lesbians using the term by at least the 1960s. Femme is older: it comes from the French word for “woman” and became established as a lesbian identity in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. In working-class lesbian bar culture, femme generally referred to lesbians with a more feminine presentation, often in contrast with butch partners.
The exact point when stem was coined is harder to pin down, but internet archives suggest it was likely around by at least the early 2000s.
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