Lesbian Soft

Soft is a term that I’ve developed in order to describe a particular aesthetic sensibility that shows up in a number of visual ways in femme Internet culture. It involves hyperfeminine symbols, often organized in a visually soothing manner, and displays a combination of hyper-emotionality and vulnerability.

As an aesthetic, soft enacts a radical shift toward softness, a feminine quality that historically has been marginalized (Collins, 2004, A. Davis, 1983; hooks, 1981).

Aesthetics

The lesbian soft aesthetic is characterized by soft visual strategies, such as ample negative space, pastel colors, and low contrast, as well as symbolic references to softness, such as flowers and girlhood. It posits feminized traits, like softness, as sources of strength and sites of connection, and positions femininity as more than an oppressive set of aesthetics women have been duped into adopting.

Butch and femme stereotypes are longstanding, and they have served a useful purpose in mainstream society by identifying sapphics as either masculine or feminine. But, with the emergence of new types of sapphics, this dichotomy may no longer be necessary.

This research seeks to understand the contemporary ‘lesbian’ aesthetic and its potential associations with measures of internalized homophobia and outness in sexual minority women using a novel SCT-based measurement of gender style. Results suggest that the contemporary ‘lesbian’ aesthetic is somewhat more feminine leaning than previous stereotypes may have predicted, while still showing distinct aesthetic differences between women who identify as femme, butch, or androgynous.

Themes

Themes related to lesbian sexuality or gender identity can be found in a variety of genres of speculative fiction. They include LGBT themes in science fiction, fantasy, horror and romance.

During the 1970s and 1980s, a number of writers were openly gay and wrote works that addressed lesbian issues. During this period, mainstream speculative fiction began to accept gay and lesbian characters in a more positive way.

Aside from novels, many gay authors wrote short stories and poems about their lives. These were often published in lesbian-themed literary magazines, such as Sinister Wisdom and Conditions.

In the 1990s, a number of queer-themed young adult novels were published. Despite their relatively small market, these books were seen as changing the way that people viewed the gay community.

Discourse

The discourse of softness reflects a political sensibility that prioritizes feminized perspectives over masculinist modes of thought. Using Instagram as a lens for charting the discourse, I demonstrate that softness is not just an aesthetic but also a code of conduct in femme Internet culture.

Among the forms of content that circulate on TikTok that relate to lesbian identity is discourse videos in which users vocally elaborate on a particular subject. They are often tagged with the #discourse hashtag to make them easily recognizable.

This discourse enacts the voice as an instrument of power. Mitra and Watts argue that, on the Internet, the power of a discursive utterance is reflected in its voice rather than in a spatial position.

Moreover, video replies to comments elicit greater discursive authority through physically embodying the voice that contradicts the given statement. This makes the speaker even more present to the world than the commenter (in some instances even anonymous). Through stitching and video-replying, the speakers are positioning themselves in a dialogue that produces a discursive community.

Conclusions

In the context of lesbianism, there are several conclusions that can be drawn. One of the most obvious is that there are many different types of lesbians. This includes butch, bisexual, and hermaphrodites among others. In the workplace, there are also many lesbians who are not out to their coworkers.

The most interesting is that of the aforementioned butch and hermaphrodites. They aren’t prone to discrimination or bullying, and may even be promoted more often than their heterosexual counterparts.

They are often overlooked in their heyday, but these women make up an important and underrepresented population. They are a crucial component to any organization’s success. They have been shown to improve morale, increase productivity, and foster creativity. They also have the power to change the culture of their workplace. The best part is that they are likely to get better pay for it, which is a win-win. There are also numerous other positives, such as lower rates of substance abuse, higher levels of happiness and optimism, and more fulfilling relationships.