Butch vs. Masc?
Okay, I've been tossing around with this for a while now. My girlfriend has always referred to me as masc, likely because it's become a popular term in recent years. Butch definitely seems more rooted in history and culture, while masc seems to be about clothing and appearance only.
However, the thing that keeps sticking out to me about being butch is the whole chivalry thing. Is this a necessary prerequisite? I have short hair, I never wear dresses or skirts, if I wear makeup it's pretty minimal and androgynous. However, I often feel like my girlfriend takes the role of protector in our relationship despite being more femme. Granted, we both love going out of our way for each other, but she's very strong in that role. Maybe this is just relationship-specific, and I'd be more of a protector in other contexts.
Does that make me any less of a butch? How do I know that I'm a butch? I really feel aligned with this identity, especially in terms of how I conceptualize my gender, but I get stuck at the behaviors aspect. Honestly, I'm a total diva underneath. I feel pretty aligned to twink, just in lesbian form.
Thoughts? I'm just so curious!