Stem Lesbian

Stem is a blend of the words stud and femme, and it describes a Black or Latina queer woman or sapphic person who carries both masculine and feminine qualities rather than sitting at either end of the butch-femme spectrum. A stem might pair a masculine posture or wardrobe with a full face of makeup or other femme touches. The term grew out of Black lesbian culture, where stud already names a Black masculine-identifying lesbian, and it has spread more widely through TikTok and online sapphic communities. Using stem for people outside Black and Latinx communities is generally seen as missing its specific cultural roots.