Stud is a culture-specific identity that is often defined as a black masculine lesbian. As such, it is meant to be an identity label that is exclusively used by black people.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Etymology[]
Stud as an identity can be traced back to its first usages in the 1960s. However, the specific reasoning for using the word "stud" for this identity is unknown. The word stud as a label originates from the latter part of the 20th century, specifically to the 1960s. At that point, working-class black lesbians created stud and other identities for themselves. This is believed to be a reaction to how lesbian feminism at the time was mostly represented by and focused on white women at the expense of lesbians of color, leading to the creation of labels like stud and fish as similar but separate labels from butch and femme, respectively.[1] In particular, one of the earliest published mentions of stud was in a 1965 thesis published by Washington University. During the 2000s, it was noted that stud was more widely used in the black community instead of butch.[7]
Community[]
Distinction[]
Butch[]
- Main article: Butch
Stud is similar to butch, since both terms are often summarized as being for masculine lesbians. However, stud is not intended to be interchangeable with butch. This is mostly due to stud being made exclusively for black lesbians, and is still considered an exclusive identity.[1][4][7]
Boi[]
- Main article: Boi
Both stud and boi are culture-specific identities intended for women of color. While stud is specifically meant for black lesbians, boi is a label for women of color in general. Boi is often used by women of color who are young, masculine, and queer to some degree.[8][9]
Controversy[]
Most controversies related to stud involve its appropriation by white lesbians. As mentioned previously, stud is an identity that is meant to be exclusively used by black lesbians. While it is similar to butch, it is meant to be a separate label that is not equivalent or interchangeable with butch.[1][6][7] As a result, there has been backlash and criticism against white butches who attempt to label themselves as studs, especially on social media websites such as TikTok.[6][7]