Butch is many things to many people. Butch is a haircut; butch is a way of living; butch is a swagger; butch is wearing the pants. To cultural anthropologist Gayle Rubin (“Of catamites and kings: Reflections on butch, gender, and boundaries,” in Joan Nestle’s The Persistent Desire. A Femme-Butch-Reader), “Butch is the lesbian vernacular term for women who are more comfortable with masculine gender codes.” To essayist S. Bear Bergman (in Butch Is A Noun), “First of all, butch is a noun. And an adjective. And a verb.”

What is butch to you? Whatever it is, it’s the day to celebrate it because it’s International Butch Appreciation Day!

We’ve written a lot about the butch identity in the past, so if you want further reading on the subject, revisit these articles:

Now, onto the celebration. Here are a few images of butch women we love, for your viewing pleasure.

Rachel Maddow



Hannah Gadsby

Lena Waithe

Lea DeLaria

Syd

KD Lang

Susan Surftone

Jenny Shimizu

Alison Bechdel

JD Samson

Rhea Butcher

Casey Legler

Crys Matthews

Who is your favorite butch? What have you done for her lately?