Are butches really a dying breed?

[Dub]

For me, I didn't claim the identity of Butch until I was 40 years old and that's mostly because of the idea that I didn't want to be labeled, and therefore, stereotyped. It wasn't until I attended Butch Voices in 2010 where I learned about some of our history and finally felt like there are others out there whom I could relate to that I proudly embraced the Butch identity.

Where I am in the US (the Pacific Northwest), it seems as thought the younger generation would rather define themselves as Genderqueer these days. I wonder, though, if they knew more about our history whether they would feel the same as I and claim that identity as part of themselves.

Growing up, I didn't have any Butch role models so finding them later in life helped me find that part of me. Does that make sense?

So, what I'm trying to get at is, perhaps there are Butches out there who just haven't come to yet claim their identity. At least that's what I'd like to believe rather then the think about us dying away.