#Brazen femme

[macbxth-pdf]

“As for other dykes, I enjoy my share of appreciation for fabulous form and sense of fat drag. Thats right, I said fat drag. I like to dress in a way that plays with what a fat girl is and isn’t supposed to wear. This includes dresses with huge horizontal stripes and tight, brightly colored cardigans that strain to keep one button done up. There is a particular niche of dykes who dig this kind of look and we share a sort of common understanding about performing our bodies in subversive ways. To others who are more invested in traditional standards of beauty and more of a beige clothing landscape, I’m sure that I’m either invisible or gross.”

Fat Activist Allyson Mitchell

Source: ‘Big Fat Femmes: Squeezing a lot of into One Pair of Control Top Nylons’ by Abi Slone and Allyson Mitchell from Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity Edited by Chloë Brushwood Rose & Anna Camilleri

[that-butch-archivist]

"rockstar" by Chloë Brushwood Rose, 2000

source: Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity, edited by Chloë Brushwood Rose & Anna Camilleri

[auroradicit]

me, going on a low-internet trip starting tomorrow: okay but what if I add aos winona kirk as a low-activity muse--

[goldxnfemme]

Hi! I wanted to ask if you had any literature / research / resources on femme lesbian identity? I find so much on butch but so little on femme. I feel like you've probably posted this before but the Tumblr search button is STRUGGLING for me today.

yep, I do!!! And to be honest, I very much understand the sentiment. sorry I took a while to reply, but here are a few good places to start:

The Persistent Desire edited by Joan Nestle

Persistence: All ways butch and femme edited by Ivan Coyote and Zena Shaman

S/he by Minnie Bruce Pratt

My Lesbian Husband: Landscapes of a Marriage by Barrie Jean Borich (this isn’t about the concept itself I suppose in any explicit ways, but shares the femme perspective quite heavily so I’ll include it anyways)

Rust Belt Femme by Rachael Anne Jolie

The Femme Mystique edited by Leslea Newman

Making intelligible the controversies over femme identities: A functionalist approach to conceptualizing the subversive meanings of femme genders - Heidi M. Levitt & Kathleen M. Collins

Femme: Feminists, Lesbians and Bad Girls by Laura Harris and Elizabeth Crocker

Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity by Chloë Brushwood Rose and Anna Camilleri

I hope these help, do let me know what you think if you get a chance to read them!! <3

Edit: Mind you, it’s worth adding that I have very mixed feelings about The Femme Mystique by Leslea Newman, so as I recommend it, I also need to mention, take it with a healthy grain of salt. Most of those resources come from a subjective place, from one perspective or more at a time, from different times in history, which means that some aspects that fit me perfectly might not work the same for you and vice versa. In order for you to put together your version of femme, I find it important reading about different perspectives and seeing what fits you or not, in a very conscious identity building kind of way, because it’s a complex identity, along with being in touch with your community and discussing identity with other femmes and butches, those discussions will only help you grow, especially considering how much of a community role it is along with butch.

[kylo-wrecked]

Name: Ben.

Nickname(s): Occasionally, a friend, a foe, or a love interest will call him Benji or Benny. Obviously, all Bens are united in their hatred of this.

Relationship Status: Verse dependent. Modern!Ben's articulated the words 'I love you' to but one other.

Gender: Cis male.

Romantic Orientation: Exploring or unsure.

Preferred Pet Names: Music!Ben will call you 'baby' if he hates you.

Opinion on True Love: All Bens believe true love exists... but maybe not for hims.

Opinion on Love at First Sight: Music!Ben thinks he's fallen in love at first sight many, many times. Modern!Ben is somehow more suspicious. Ex!Con Ben has never looked another person in the eye (Jk, he's not a believer) and Smuggler!Ben...

How ‘Romantic’ Are They?: He's unpracticed, not unromantic.

Edited for E.: Music!Ben can charm the pants off anyone but I still don’t think that makes him a ‘romantic.’

Ideal Physical Traits: This one is tricky because mun struggles to understand what makes one physical trait more desirable than another :') but we shall try.

Based on copious evidence, mun believes Bens generally prefer longer hair for [women/femmes], short to medium curls for [men/mascs], notable thighs (strong, long, or thick), or other limbs and extremities (Smuggler!Ben). Striking eyes, chest hair for [men/mascs], a nice smile, a brazen or unique laugh (for Music!Ben especially, laughter is physical). Scars and other proof of life.

Because he's 6'4", he prefers his partners tall, but because he's 6'4", he invariably accepts smol.

Ideal Personality Traits: If he likes you, be yourself. All of yourself, preferably, because he's greedy.

All Bens find humility attractive in a person. Music!Ben covets meanness and whatever he interprets as power today. Let's not think about tomorrow.

Unattractive Physical Traits: We're struggling again, and that's okay.

Redubbing this part 'least desired observable characteristics.'

Shaved or bleached brows, dreads on heads where they don't belong, notable cosmetic alterations (Music!Ben specific), literal body language (Smuggler!Ben specific), worm physique (Smuggler!Ben specific), problem skin.

Unfortunately, Music!Ben can veer on fat-phobic (he's certainly weight-conscious himself) and Modern!Ben thinks women should shave their legs for him or something ridiculous like that. Not that he'd ever say it. (Dirty fingernails are fine by him, though. The more, the merrier.)

Unattractive Personality Traits: ☝️ Do not lie to him.

Ideal Date: bullets? Bullets.

Modern!Ben: movie/museum and dinner, in that order, because post-movie/museum-going conversations reveal much about a person.

Music!Ben: goes from 1 to 111. He's not dating you; he met you someplace awful and will never leave you alone again. Hint: He's never the dumper, always the dumped.

Ex-Con!Ben: Somewhere quiet, outdoors, away from the public eye. Said date must make it clear to Ben that he's on a date, or else he'll be utterly lost.

Smuggler!Ben: kidnapped Poe Dameron once—and it was awesome.

Do They Have a Type?: Bens are often attracted to sensitive, mysterious persons... or people who 'yell' at hims (Music!Ben, Smuggler!Ben).

Average Relationship Length: Six inches. One to two years.

Preferred Non-Sexual Intimacy: Smush-

Commitment Level: Fluctuates. Bens are serious about those they care for, but.

Ah, the various buts.

Opinion of Public Affection:

Modern!Ben: Outlook good/You may rely on it.

Music!Ben: Don't count on it/My sources say no.

Ex-Con!Ben: ???/Ask again later.

Smuggler!Ben: *loudly in the cantina* —we're NOT married?!

Past Relationships?:

Modern!Ben: Has entered two serious relationships. The first was young and short-lived. The second ended in California. She cheated on him, and he has never recovered.

Music!Ben: Sadly. And before then, a fling with Rey, which he fucked up beautifully. And before, after, and somewhere in between, a thing with Armitage (verse dependent). It wasn't a romance, but it was certainly something.

Ex-Con!Ben: Nope.

Smuggler!Ben: Verse dependent but primarily occupied with and committed to Not Dying Between Now and Centaxday.

tagged by:// @godresembled <3 thank you, fren, for the much-needed distraction during my moving frenzy.

tagging:// anymun who hasn't already done this meme and wants to share~

singling out, @valkxrie, @debelltio, @itmeanspeace, @themckaytriarchy, @ofthestcrs (muse of choice), @certifiably-i (muse of choice), @ifyoucatchacriminal (muse of choice). @etoilebleu (muse of choice eris).

[bananamilk2004]

yeah ok we've heard of butch fem ghost which is awesome showstopping amazing but if i may add onto that: the entire tf141 being butches. soap with the same mohawk stunting around in military surplus activewear to attract femmes (or other butches. she's not picky). gaz who– unlike her friends– presents herself as more of a bifauxnen with clean pressed shirts and a nice smile. price who's the hardest butch out of all of them; never shaving, foregoing bras, referring to herself with brazen terms popular in the older queer scene (all the while having the voice of a chainsmoker, so deep it can initially be mistaken for a man's tone) (maybe she even packs?)

just. ugh. butches…

and imagine if you were passed between all of them? spitroasted by their straps? omg

[sauron-kraut]

Well since you're asking... how about number 14 with Mairon and a Nazgûl of your/his choice?🌚

Thank you so much for this prompt, somehow this made me laugh so hard. 🖤 Here you go, friend.

Prompt list here (all kiss prompts)

No warnings this time

As always: Comments on AO3 are appreciated. 🖤

I opted for still human!Nazgûl again. Featuring femme young brat Khamûl again, my new beloved.

14. ...casually.

“I have always liked the bright red ones most. They remind me of blood and fire.”

Mairon strides across the dusty plane scorching under a merciless sun, moves between colourful market stalls, through wavering clouds of heat and beguiling scents, spices and incense and simmering stews, smiling at the pretty young man on his arm, with his dark hair and his soft murderous eyes. “Is that so?” 

“Yes, my lord. And now, they remind me of you,” Khamûl says.

Mairon nearly fails to hide his amusement in the face of the boy’s brazenness. “I am flattered, young king. A precious jewel, how befitting.”

He walks him towards one of the merchants, who has a variety of gemstones on display. Red gleams in the low sun and catches Mairon’s eye. He walks faster, dragging Khamûl along behind him.  Mairon removes the shawl he had kept wrapped around his face to protect himself from sand and dust. “How much for this one?” he asks the man and flashes him a toothy smile, pointing at the ruby. Exquisite. Mairon is not sure if the merchant is even aware of the gem’s value. The man looks into Mairon’s eyes and flinches, visibly taken aback by what he sees. Mairon is known in these lands. It matters not. “... lord?” the merchant whispers in awe.

“Yes. How much?”  The man tells him. Mairon turns to Khamûl, who is still holding on to his arm. “Is this one to your liking?” A nod, a little too quick. Greed. Delicious. “Very good,” Mairon continues. He takes Khamûl’s hand and picks up the ruby, gently holding it against the boy’s skin. Mairon grazes his finger’s with his own. “It will look lovely on you. Suitable only for a king. I can make you a ring from this, unlike any you have ever laid eyes upon before.” Mairon pulls him in by the waist and bends down to plant a quick kiss on soft lips. His smile then grows wider before he produces a leather coin purse and showers the counter in gold.  The merchant stares at him, wide-eyed. “Keep it. May it teach you about value,” Mairon says, and laughs. Khamûl’s gaze is fixed on the gold and the ruby in Mairon’s hand. Good. Power draws him in and so does wealth. Mairon will give him both, and he will give much more.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA if I flipped off a customer?

Some background: I’ve recently started taking the bus to and from work. The area I work (retail) in is known pretty widely to be the city’s unofficial Red Light District, and there are a lot of full service sex workers walking along the main street at basically any time of day. If you are a femme-presenting person walking in that area, it’s highly likely that you’ll be mistaken for a SWer unless you take specific steps to avoid it. This is mostly a safety issue rather than one around how I’m perceived; I’ve had people pull up behind me to try and pick me up if my demeanor isn’t off putting enough.

Now the story: I (f, 28) was waiting at my bus stop after walking the two-ish blocks between my job and the stop. I was dressed in such a way that most ppl could likely tell I wasn’t a SWer, but I’d had a couple people honk/whistle at me regardless—of course some of this could be categorized as “regular” street harassment, but the nature of the area often makes people more brazen overall, so the reasoning is generally moot.

Here’s where I may be the asshole: when I was waiting at my stop, someone got my attention from a car across the street (can’t remember if they honked or whistled but I’m sure they didn’t use any actual words). I looked up to determine if it was directed at me, and indeed the person inside was waving at me, so I responded as I always do when someone on that street tries to get my attention, with a swift and firm middle finger. The person inside sort of kept waving, but they were also already driving off as the light had turned.

What I realized after a few hours of being home was that, based on where I was and the direction that person was driving, it’s highly likely that the person waving was someone I actually know from my job. Most of my customers are regulars, and we often see each other around the city.

Obviously I would feel terrible if this were the case, and of course I can’t know for sure unless a customer comes in and tells me that I flipped them off. I’m not holding any actual guilt about this unless that happens. So basically what I’m asking is: am I the asshole for automatically flipping off people who try to get my attention from their cars, even if it’s possible that they’re people I know?

What are these acronyms?

[coconuttz]

Fall 2024: Hot Pink and Red—A High Fashion Reawakening

Ahhhh, fall is finally here . The season where fashion’s ephemeral whims converge with the timeless allure of color-blocking, specifically in the divine duet of hot pink and red. This isn’t merely a trend; it’s an invocation, a fervent homage to the audacious sartorial statements of the early 2000s, meticulously resurrected to punctuate our modern aesthetic landscape.

Reflecting upon the early 2000s, one cannot help but recall a time when fashion reveled in its embrace of excess and flamboyance. The era was characterized by an unabashed use of hyper-saturated hues, an aesthetic that seemed to revel in its own brazen theatricality. Hot pink and red were the colors of choice, strutting down runways and saturating red carpets with a fervor that seemed almost rebellious.

Incorporating these daring colors into your wardrobe this fall doesn’t require a complete overhaul—it’s all about blending the old with the new, creating a seamless fusion of vintage charm and contemporary cool. Here’s how to work these vibrant hues into your look:

The juxtaposition of a summer dress over a baby tee embodies the Y2K *babygirl* ethos of mixing clean lines with bold, unexpected details. Opt for a skirt in a monochrome color or a vibrant hue like red or hot pink, layering it over a graphic tee that nods to pop culture. This look is a perfect homage to the mod movement's playful side. For a bolder choice, try layering sheer skirts over jeans—an edgy blend of whimsical and practical that’s as daring as it is stylish.

Chunky boots are the rebels of your shoe collection. They’re a little grungy, a little rebellious, and they make you feel like you can take on anything. Personally, I feel like a new person whenever I slip on my favorites, especially those with cute, girly details—think exaggerated soles in glossy patent leather or bold colors. They channel Andre Courrèges’ futuristic take on the classic mod boot, blending retro flair with a modern edge.

While the 60s were known for their slim-cut trousers, today’s retro revival embraces a wider leg, bringing flare-leg pants into the spotlight. Pair your boldest graphic tee with high-waisted flare-leg pants in pink or red, and don’t be afraid to play with textures. Basic tees and old band tees work just as well, but I have a soft spot for baby tees! Go daring with leather pants in red— a look that’s both nostalgic and reminiscent of *Coyote Ugly*. Flare-leg pants look especially stylish with a chunky belt and a pair of chunky boots, creating a silhouette that’s as elongating as it is eye-catching (proper fit is key!).

Statement tights in bold colors or patterns (like cherry red or bubblegum pink) will be a standout piece, echoing the eclectic vibrancy of designers like Moschino. Layer them with sheer skirts—a nod to the ethereal fabrics favored by Gucci and Prada—to merge delicate transparency with unapologetic color.

Feeling lazy? Toss on that red trench coat and you’re instantly the coolest person in the room, even if you haven’t washed your hair in three days. There’s something about a trench coat—especially one in a bold color—that makes you feel like you’re stepping into your own skin, finally owning who you are and all the chaos that comes with it. In a pink trench, you’re not just a girl on the go; you’re a force of nature wrapped in cotton candy hues, floating through your day like you own it. Cherry red is for those days when you’re channeling your inner femme fatale, ready to take on the world with a smile.

For those with a wardrobe largely defined by black, neutrals, and denim (guilty!), the addition of vibrant colors like hot pink and red represents more than just a fashion statement. It is an exploration of how past influences can reshape contemporary style. By embracing these bold hues, one can effectively bridge the gap between the understated and the extravagant, offering a fresh take on personal style that both honors and redefines previous fashion epochs.

As Fall 2024 unfolds, the boldness of hot pink and red invites a deeper engagement with fashion history. It challenges us to rethink our approach to color and encourages a celebration of the vivid, playful elements that characterized the early 2000s. Embracing these hues not only enriches our wardrobe but also reaffirms fashion’s capacity to evolve while paying homage to its past.

[shadeslayer]

Hana Malia, I THINK I CAME OUT THE FIRST TIME I DIDN’T FUCK SOMEONE BACK. (2009)

I read Brazen Femme again-tie one arm to my own bed and scream out the word, femme, taste it at the back of my throat, roll it around. It doesn’t taste like diva draped in diamonds, but remnants of carbon. Rips up my mouth with rocks from deep-origin volcanic eruptions.

V.

I’m examining my resistance to see femme as more power than pretense.

I’m digging these notions-Femme as femininity gone wrong, Femme as the knife buried in a pile of glitter …

But then so many of the Femmes I meet seem to be very much about femininity. They tell me their Femme is radical and transgressive because they prescribe to the model of girl they were told to, except for the big catch-they fuck other girls, trans men, and queers. They talk about the power in being just what the world thinks it wants, only to follow up with the haha-tricked you! You can’t have it!

If the dagger under the glitter, the femme, is about performance or trickery-the big reveal-then I am daggerless and definitely not femme. Because that leaves femme dependant on the pretense of femininity that preempts the upset, and in my life the message has been sent loud and clear that fat and ugly is not feminine, mixed up jew gypsy nomad is not feminine, bottle of whiskey a night is not feminine, sex that bares teeth and doesn’t know how to stop is not...

I have felt like a leftover-a survived burden looking always for the pockets of flawless in my bones. So it is too familiar when femme is seen only as the absence of masculinities-a default identity. Negative space rather than something of its own substance. 

I am screaming and yelling and needing to reach in deep enough to feel with my own hands that on my very inside there is matter, not just the absence of something better. And after all that reaching I can’t get down with “my communities,” turning Femme into something that looks more like what’s not there than what is. 

This is what it is. This is where I found it. This is what lives. And for all that I can’t explain yet, I know Femme translates to revival. 

[macbxth-pdf]

Fevers, Fall-Outs, and Fast Foods by Zoe Whittall from Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity edited by Chloë Brushwood Rose and Anna Camilleri

Please ignore the fact that some of my annotations are edited out

[that-butch-archivist]

"Passion" by Chloë Brushwood Rose, 2001

source: Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity, edited by Chloë Brushwood Rose & Anna Camilleri

[femmeunderfoot]

"clay pigeon" by tara hardy, brazen femme

[necrytalkie1]

and its funny because I can open up brazen femme rn and find a woman's essay exactly about that. About how she's tired of being seen as a pussy or a housewife and how even butches treat her that way

[auroradicit]

work is gonna be rough and is already kicking up my anxiety levels this week, so just as a psa I might be online a little less than I was this weekend.

if you'd like to plot, yell, etc. feel free to add me on discord @ brazen femme

[zesbian]

(You can publish this if you want to.. or not if you don't want to, up to you!) A book I read recently made me curious about the answer to this question so I'd like to know. Madi, what does femme mean to you personally? :)

a WONDERFUL question !! this quote honestly sums it up best for me:

“FEMME as an experience that is informed by and also exceeds lesbian herstory; as a way of being that cannot be described as quintessentially feminine. Instead, femme might be described as “femininity gone wrong” – bitch, slut, nag, whore, cougar, dyke, or brazen hussy. Femme is the trappings of femininity gone awry, gone to town, gone to the dogs. Femininity is a demand placed on female bodies and femme is the danger of a body read female or inappropriately feminine. We are not good girls – perhaps we are not girls at all… OUR TERMS ARE SLIPPERY AND OUR DESIGNS COMPLEX.”

- Rose, Chloe Brushwood and Camilleri, Anna, Eds. Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2002, 13-14.