How could we as women walk like men? I guess we could try to copy a man’s gait, but we wouldn’t be able to completely match it because our bodies are built differently. So, even we were trying to copy a man, we’d still walk like a woman because we are women. I’m so confused, lol.

I bi and I guess I would be gender nonconforming. I buzz cut my hair, don’t were makeup, and wear comfortable clothing 24/7. I’m at home most of the time because I care for my mom 24/7, so I am not around people all the time. When you are isolated and aren’t around people who will judge your appearance, you really start to see how gender roles and expectations (femininity) are all just bullshit and aren’t natural.

No suggestions from me, just support. Gnc women are awesome; I'm sorry you have to deal with the challenges of misogyny and judgment for it. My ex is a stud/butch, and she has had to deal with a lot of weird reactions from people just for being herself. Once an old lady asked if she was in the right bathroom, and once a couple kids followed her around asking if she's a man or a woman. Those are just a couple incidents that come to mind. On the other hand, she has a strong community of other more masc lesbians in her area that are a strong support system, and many male friends as well (she likes to do her more traditionally male-oriented hobbies with them) where she finds acceptance.

I'm a bisexual woman who actually does dress in a lot of "men's" clothing, had pixie cuts a couple times throughout the years, and never wear makeup - but no matter what I do, I have a very femme, soft way of being, and am short and curvy (not overweight), and am generally treated by people like a delicate woman despite my best efforts. Recently I was talking to my counsellor about feeling a strong mix of masculine and feminine energy, and how sometimes I feel very 'in my masculine'. Without missing a beat, she immediately says, "You know Ocelot, I don't see you as masculine at all. Well, should we schedule our next meeting?" And I was like DAMN. Wonder how she'd have reacted if I said I was nonbinary or transmasc, lol. I told this story to a couple friends, and now they randomly say "You know Ocelot, I don't see you as masculine at all," and we laugh. Anyway, I'm saying that you find it hard to fit into femininity, and I find it hard to escape.

All the love to all the women who don't want to fit into all the weird stereotypes and boxes society wants to put us in!

Feel free to dm if you ever want to talk!

You can definitely make friends who don't care what you look like or your clothing choices. It's hard to meet people IRL, and I don't know what to say about that.

You are a woman, therefore the way you walk is walking like a woman.

I think many of us feel isolated and lack community.

!! I started walking with proper posture (back straight, head tall) AND MY MOM SAID THE SAME THING!! Apparently I'm supposed to walk hunched over to hide my chest like girl I can't believe femininity means sacrificing your back health 😭.

I feel you OP it's so difficult to be GNC. I constantly get comments about "wanting to be a man" and I'm literally being natural? Not shaving is a non action. Wearing practical clothes and not having jewellery or makeup are just neutral actions. But we all know how men are the default and hence default is masculine. It's beyond frustrating. I will tell you though, it's easier when you have accepting friends.

Hell I even helped women be more confident in not shaving!

i had a really good friend of me note that i walked like a man. It was just an observation so sort of strange. I could probably say a lot about women policing what i've worn, but i'm not really in the mood to relive it right now. i don't have recommendations. I will say i tried Lex and it was filled with TIPs. There were some nice and interesting women in the groups i joined (general interest stuff like gardening, knitting), but they were located in Europe. That's good you went to the lgballiance zoom. Dating really is very hard if you live in anyplace other than a big liberal Metropolis. Personally i don't use the butch/femme labels. It seems like a binary i don't fit into and homonormative. I've literally had people ask me and my girlfriend at the time, "who was the man?" I wish i'd had said "Neither, we're both beautiful mixtures and our hobbies and styles don't say anything about the bedroom." I think in reality we both looked at each other in shock. It was someone she knew so i let her take the lead.