A Butch Mirror

[Jett]

Celebrate... a place for butches and allies to appreciate, discuss and feel pride in the appearance of our bodies.

In society and often our own community we get a lot of grief and messages that go beyond too fat or short. Either we are too masculine for "a girl" - or not masculine enough... too muscular - not strong enough... hair's to short for "a girl" - too long for a butch.. etc. It's easy to fall into the fray and criticize ourselves especially with the underlying and insidious current that we as butches mostly disassociate from our female bodies... wtf?

Damn, with no apologies, I like my body and I'm happy with the way I am... strapped or bound... or not... I like my smoother chested genderfuck of a body. And that doesn't mean I hate my tits... it means I personally like my chest the way it is (not a male chest, my chest). Just as some people feel sexy with bigger tits, I feel sexy with smaller but "still there" bippies. Some butches don't. *shrug*

Small - big - straight - curvy - long - short etc. etc. blah, there are all sizes and shapes of butch... and fortunately also many admirers of in all those various incarnations, this is a place of positive discussion of all those things.

Keep in mind most everyone would like their body to be a little more this, that or the other thing, so just because we are butches and maybe struggle a little with this or that... it doesn't automatically make it pathological... it makes us human like anyone else. The big thing is no matter what your body or desires for it... be good to it, appreciate it and know that others do too.

And I just want to right of to say a big azz thanx to all those who have always supported all of us in who we are.

Metropolis

(I know there are butches who do have or had more intense struggle with body image and may feel disassociated from their female bodies and that has been and is given much space for discussion... but I believe it's equally important that butches also have a place where we can be allowed to be openly accepting of, take pride in and encourage support of the butch bodies we have be given too.)

[Jett]

And to expand the topic... as a stone butch I find people assume I must hate my body and that I must wish it to be different... seriously, I don't.

Stone for me is about strong hard fast preferences for a variety of reasons... and not about disassociating from my female bits. Though it doesn't surprise me considering the way of the world that a female who staunchly does not want to be penetrated would be looked upon as broken or damaged. Sorry again, just not the case... I'm not going to break if I was touched I'm going to stop and explain how I desire to be touched. No big deal...

I get it may be hard for peeps to understand stone sexuality and the whys... but sometimes it just is what it is... and that's alright.

(again yes there are some Stones who do have strong issues with their female bodies, but within the context of this thread I'm acknowledging that many many Stones actually do not)

[Jet]

I'm working to change the way I look. My body is not a fit for me and never has been. Maybe I'll celebrate when I'm done. lol

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Metropolis

Celebrate... a place for butches and allies to appreciate, discuss and feel pride in the appearance of our bodies.

In society and often our own community we get a lot of grief and messages that go beyond too fat or short. Either we are too masculine for "a girl" - or not masculine enough... too muscular - not strong enough... hair's to short for "a girl" - too long for a butch.. etc. It's easy to fall into the fray and criticize ourselves especially with the underlying and insidious current that we as butches mostly disassociate from our female bodies... wtf?

Damn, with no apologies, I like my body and I'm happy with the way I am... strapped or bound... or not... I like my smoother chested genderfuck of a body. And that doesn't mean I hate my tits... it means I personally like my chest the way it is (not a male chest, my chest). Just as some people feel sexy with bigger tits, I feel sexy with smaller but "still there" bippies. Some butches don't. *shrug*

Small - big - straight - curvy - long - short etc. etc. blah, there are all sizes and shapes of butch... and fortunately also many admirers of in all those various incarnations, this is a place of positive discussion of all those things.

Keep in mind most everyone would like their body to be a little more this, that or the other thing, so just because we are butches and maybe struggle a little with this or that... it doesn't automatically make it pathological... it makes us human like anyone else. The big thing is no matter what your body or desires for it... be good to it, appreciate it and know that others do too.

And I just want to right of to say a big azz thanx to all those who have always supported all of us in who we are.

Metropolis

(I know there are butches who do have or had more intense struggle with body image and may feel disassociated from their female bodies and that has been and is given much space for discussion... but I believe it's equally important that butches also have a place where we can be allowed to be openly accepting of, take pride in and encourage support of the butch bodies we have be given too.)

I think you're awesome- looks, creativity, style and intellect. Uniquely you with the whole package. A good reason to celebrate.

[Corkey]

I'm glad you started this thread Met, I hope others do find something to celebrate with their bodies. I have female bits, but struggle with them everyday, they are a part of who I am not. At this stage of life I'm not having surgeries or taking T to fix what I see as problem areas of my body. If I were 30 years younger, distinct possibility I would. I celebrate what my wife finds in me.

[Jett]

Sachita- thanx for your positive response.

Corkey- I know you have struggled, and you know you always have my support... thanx for coming in and showing yours.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interestingly I think what probably spurred this thread was my own past feelings about my body and how they've evolved and I've gotten to a better place over the years. My body's not exactly what I'd like it to be, no, but yes I do like it... something I couldn't always say. Hell, it still screws with your head when your masculine with a female body even if you identify strongly with being a female, and there were times in life early in my life I was looking in the mirror the same wtf expression people on the street looked at me with.

It's taken me a long time to get over my own shit on that so I guess it's what had me thinking how we view ourselves and bodies and stay positive about them in sometimes hostile environments... example being I was mistaken for a guy in a lesbian orientated space recently and when I corrected I got... "well it would help if you had some tits". So this isn't about peeps who are thrilled with their body but more a desire to foster a positive space with which to discuss butch self image in an encouraging manner.

Make no sense? It's a difficult subject and I'm just sort of rambling so perhaps not...

Peace
Metro
*who is looking back at hys OP now and wondering how much of it was a delayed reaction to the "if you had tits" remark... gahhhh... (lol)*

[BullDog]

Great thread Metro. I am perfectly happy having a female body. Only one issue I have is with having breasts, but I will save that for another thread.

I think what has helped me to become more comfortable with my body over the years has been becoming more in touch with my gender in terms of being butch as well as my sexuality in terms of being a stone butch. I have very happy to be butch and very happy to be female.

I also am not stone butch due to disassociating in any way with being female or female bits that I have. Coming into my stoneness has been a very freeing and positive experience for me. It does not have to do with not wanting to be feminized or having my body treated as non-female, I have no thoughts of transitioning, and I do not feel male. It is more a way of me focusing my energy and body on what pleases me as well as my partner.

[Jett]

Originally Posted by BullDog

Great thread Metro. I am perfectly happy having a female body. Only one issue I have is with having breasts, but I will save that for another thread. ...*snip*...

Yeah I don't know why that issue wouldn't be appropriate here but that's up to you Bull. I had some thoughts on that actually but I'm trying to get my head unstuck on how to explain if I even can.

Maybe I'll just to repeat for now... ... "this isn't about peeps who are thrilled with their body but more a desire to foster a positive space with which to discuss butch self image in an encouraging manner..."

Anyway thanks much for your post...

[Daywalker]

I just woke up.



I'll be back to join in.

"If my body were a painting, it would be Art. So, paint me"

[Just_G]

Great thread M!
I have always hated having a chest...I had 36 DDD back in the day and had a reduction ten years ago. I was satisfied with that until I gained a little weight...it went right back onto my chest, so I call a mulligan and want to have my chest re-done.

I am pretty happy with the bod I have....though I am trying to lose some of my beer gut! I love my shoulders and arms...as I do a lot of lifting at work. I cut my own hair and keep it short and spikey...though I have been tempted to shave my head recently..lol While I only stand in the mirror with boxers on, I do not have issues with my bits....hooked up with the right chick, I like to get mine when given the chance!

When I look in the mirror, I see a masculine butch and I love it! I have had my struggles in that department, but over all, I like me just the way I am.

[Heart]

I am captivated by butch curves, muscles, skin, hair, tits, assess, hips, calves, hands, smiles, eyes, smells... As a butch reveals her body to me, I am caught, breathless and greedy. I want to touch her with the utmost tenderness, then flay her with desire.

Excuse the interruption.

[hpychick]

Metropolis,

Thank you so much for this thread! It's a wonderful encouragement seeing the varying degrees of butch comfort zones regarding their bodies - spanning from stones, disassociaters and those who are completely comfortable in - and - with their female bodies - but please don't allow me to limit anyone's thoughts or ideals on their perception or freedom to express.

As a feminine woman who has been with soft-butch and stone-butch it's great to see the free-speech here of what is comfortable to some and what is not - yet, not only this - it is such a relief to have my faith renewed in seeing that butches are far from a cookie-cutter mold of their own sexuality.

I love the diversity, the differences, the beauty in all that is called butch.

Thank you for sharing yourselves and for the ever-expanding definition of who-you-are, not allowing yourselves to be caught in a vacuum of sameness.

Sunny

[Jett]

Totally hear that G. I gained 20+ in 08' after my mom passed and really noticed that increased my chest. It bothered me quite a bit but luckily came right off when I got back to normal routine. Too I've dropped another 10+ I'd been carrying for years so my chest is in the zone but I do have more hip than I probably would have asked for... ha... s' ok never bothered me much. Anyway thanx.

Day, I look forward to your thoughts...

Heart... nice... thanx

Hpychk yw... and thanx to you

Peace,
Metro

Originally Posted by Just_G

Great thread M!
I have always hated having a chest...I had 36 DDD back in the day and had a reduction ten years ago. I was satisfied with that until I gained a little weight...it went right back onto my chest, so I call a mulligan and want to have my chest re-done.

I am pretty happy with the bod I have....though I am trying to lose some of my beer gut! I love my shoulders and arms...as I do a lot of lifting at work. I cut my own hair and keep it short and spikey...though I have been tempted to shave my head recently..lol While I only stand in the mirror with boxers on, I do not have issues with my bits....hooked up with the right chick, I like to get mine when given the chance!

When I look in the mirror, I see a masculine butch and I love it! I have had my struggles in that department, but over all, I like me just the way I am.

[Jet]

I don't have breasts to speak of so I don't require top surgery for my transition. Just maybe minor keyhole and I'm grateful for that. But I've put on a lot of weight and need to taper down quite a bit. When I do that I'll feel a lot better. A masculine body feels more like me and I'll do what it takes to get in sync with my inner person, so to speak.

[key]

I have such a girls body, curvy in the usual girly places.

......Trying to stay positive.........

I'll say this much. I do like being touched, so I'll go with.... I like how my body feels. Not too much (unwanted) pain, plenty of pleasure and by golly it gets the job done with plenty of energy to spare.

I guess I could force myself to look at my body in the mirror and repeat nice little lies about how I feel about what I see. Or I can just keep the lights low when getting my sexy on (that is, if I ever get that opportunity again...sigh...).

[AtLast]

I have always been comfortable with my body, except when I had a run with obesity. I found OA was what worked with my dealing with this. I do have to stay on top of my compulsive over eating. mainly, this is about health for me. I also have a congenital back problem and severe poly osteoarthritis and RA- so weight has a whole lot to do with pain with me. taking off a few more pounds would help me out.

I certainly had a lot of negative comments as a girl growing up with having broad shoulders, muscles, and slight hips/butt. I am a C cup. Not from my parents, however. They praised my athletic ability and strenghth and did not say I was a big girl like so many did. I feel very fortunate about this as I just did not have a girls body if one goes by the usual societal standards.

I like how my body is more of a weaving of female and male. I embrace both. I love my breasts and they are an important component of eroticism for me. I love my vagina for the same reason. Sure, I strap, but it is simply a matter of giving pleasure to a lover that desires it. It just does not have a thing to do with my butch identity with me. Sometimes I have felt strange about this in relationship to other butches (and even been riducluled), but I'm just not vested in butch cock. I pack upon request, LOL! We are all different about this. I'm female identified and honestly like being a butch woman and having both feminine & masculine body features.

I was always proud of my strong legs and thighs. My Mom used to tell me I had my Dad's legs. She loved his legs and met him when he was a professional bicycle rider. He trained me as a kid to race. Due to multiple back surgeries and permanent nerve damage, my leg & thigh muscles have atrophied some. And hell, I will be 59 next month. My way buff days are gone! But I am a physically active person, but certainly don't run the miles everday anymore. My joints won't allow that. I walk, dance, hike and swim. I still cycle some.

I'm large boned and 5'7". Seems like this is rather average, dunnno. I have the body I have and feel at home in it. I am grateful for this as I know a lot of butches struggle with body image.

I have lousy skin. I hate it. I have to deal with continued break outs and always have. My RA is multi symptom in nature and I have psoriatic RA along with the usual joint deterioration. So, I will not wear tank type shirts. I hate this as my upper arms and shoulders were once quite nice with good muscle definition, or at least I was told this. Who knows! But, I miss wearing them. Shorts are OK.

[Write14u]

Great thread!

I know I struggled with my body image greatly when I first came out, but I feel like I've come into my own, particularly in the past 5-6 years.

I can't figure out how in hell every single person in my immediate family has no hips/ass, yet I do. *sigh* That aside, it doesn't matter to me.

I love my shoulders most of all. I love my strength. One of my exes, who is still my best friend, always says I'm "strong like bull!." I think I have nice hands, as well, and I have great skin. It's softer than a baby's butt. LOL

OK, OK....I'm vain. I own it. *grin*

But in all seriousness, it's a hard-won fight with self-image to see myself in a positive light. And I'll give much credit to the women I've been with over the years because of all the loving support I received from them. These women helped me see the positives, which made my acceptance of myself come along easier.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Heart

I am captivated by butch curves, muscles, skin, hair, tits, assess, hips, calves, hands, smiles, eyes, smells... As a butch reveals her body to me, I am caught, breathless and greedy. I want to touch her with the utmost tenderness, then flay her with desire.

Excuse the interruption.

Oh, dear Heart... I do think that this was a very welcomed interruption! No problem!

Mirror, mirror on the wall, let us have peace in it all. All Butches can walk tall.

[swagger]

nice topic. i think my lover *is* my butch mirror, because she uses words like, "my hot butch lover" and, "my handsome butch dyke" and she tells me she loves my breasts, my ass, my face, my hands. so i do too.