Persistence: All Ways Butch And Femme

Gay, Lesbian, genderqueer, FtM, MtF, queen, male-of-center, butch, femme, Shark, baby, stone, power, boi, andro, metrosexual: these are just a few of the words that we use to label ourselves, to classify our intentions and sexual preferences. Words offer only a limited definition of the person behind the idiom. "Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme," looks to examine the humanity behind the strictures of labels and their preconceived definitions of colloquial usage in hetero and LGBT culture. It is a compilation of essays by butches and femmes that stretches across the spectrum of stereotypes to encompass everyone from the grandest of Queens to the most naive of baby dykes. It exposes "butch" and "femme" characteristics with dialogue and personal experience.

"Persistence" examines the strict codes that butches and femmes developed out of necessity in the smoke filled bars of the 1920's. The compilation's authors use personal history, essays, poetry and prose to examine the identity of the LGBT individual.

"Persistence," is an excellent follow-up to the book, "The Persistent Desire: a femme-butch reader" by Joan Nestle. It is well written and a great primer for Women's Studies or for the lonely queer just coming out of the closet.

Persistence: All Ways Butch And Femme
Ivan E. Coyote and Zena Sharman
$19.95
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