Femme - V1 Pride Yard and Garden Flags | Single Or Double-Sided | 2 Sizes | Gender Identity and Expression

Femme is a term used in LGBT+ subculture to describe someone, typically a lesbian or otherwise sapphic woman, who has a feminine gender presentation. The term can refer to any femininity, but often refers to overblown and/or outwardly atypical femininity.

Femmes will often dress in feminine clothing, and typically present themselves in a more stereotypically feminine way, such as having long hair and wearing makeup. Femmes are also commonly thought of as having more "feminine" interests. However, femmes often subvert cultural expectations of femininity or show femininity in a uniquely lesbian way, as opposed to cishet women. Some transmasculine femmes may not take certain steps associated with transmasculine transition, such as going on testosterone. Femmes can be cisgender, transgender, or any other gender modality. Femme can also be used by non-binary individuals.

Traditionally, femmes have been expected to be attracted to butches. For some femmes, this attraction to butches represents a strong part of their own identity. However, some femmes are attracted to other femmes. This is sometimes referred to as "fem-for-fem" or "femme-for-femme."

While the femme label is often used by/associated with lesbians, it is also used by other groups in the LGBT+ community. This includes m-spec sapphics and LGBT+ men. Femme men often use the spelling "fem," which is simply the older version of "femme". "Fem" was also used by LGBT+ women before "femme" became common. Femme men are associated with highly exaggerated feminine style and manner, which is often a reclamation of the derogatory association of LGBT men with femininity.