That one oft-repeated line about why can't masculine women be straight

Serious DiscussionThat one oft-repeated line about why can't masculine women be straight

Posted February 11, 2025 by OrangeBurrito in Lesbians

(Rant incoming) If you've been on the internet for a while, chances are you likely that you've probably heard of this same mind-numbingly stupid complaint brought up whenever a GNC woman (usually fictional) is discussed: 'why are ALL the tomboys in media lesbians? Why can't tomboys be straight'?

This comment is emblematic of a particular bafflingly common sentiment on the internet that seems to be outraged by the interesting collective hallucination that there are 'too many masculine lesbians' in media and scant depictions of heterosexual masc. women. (Quickly, name ten fictional butch lesbians that aren't background characters, TIFs or from a 30-year-old manga. The results are legion, I'm sure. Now contrast with straight GNC women)

Valid criticism of stereotyping aside, straight tomboys still grow up and eventually marry men. What abuses they face from being GNC are in large part because men loathe and fear the implication it entails, that of potentially being a lesbian and never 'serving' men in some capacity. Butch lesbians end up most disdained in this belief, because they do not even at least satisfy the lecherous male gaze. They are worthless in male eyes, unable to be fetishized like feminine lesbians unfortunately are (which is also a loathsome topic, for another time)

Men thus weaponize this 'lack of straight tomboy representation' as another weapon of male entitlement to the female body. And to repeat an old adage, a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to tie its shoelaces. You'll see many a man with bloated confidences far outweighing any actual knowledge rattling off countless 'facts' (veracity optional—and sometimes preferably disingenous) because it appeals to and obviously benefit him. Even those with good intentions end up taking this claim and becoming useful, gullible idiots perpetuating a depressingly widespread prejudice in an attempt to correct 'woeful stereotyping'.

Apologies for the long rant, but have any of you also experienced something like this? If so what are your thoughts?

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Posted February 11, 2025 by OrangeBurrito

Edited February 11, 2025

Score: 9

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