Turns out, the existence of Mannish Women goes back far further than our modern discussions about gender. Starting in the mid 19th century, women not only dressed in masculine clothing, but acting, speaking, and living in mannish ways, became a concern. A growing trend to embrace the fashion styles of tailored suits brought about mannish fashion in the 1890s. The "new woman" picked all of this up and added bicycles to the mix. Sometimes mannish women stood with suffrage movements and political efforts, tying together our modern image of the very unfeminine suffragette. These women weren't always seen as ideal during the Victorian or Edwardian eras, but they persisted nonetheless. Even when "science" was being used against them or concerns over the end of society were put forward. For many, it was a simpler and more practical way of dressing. Others saw it as a completely different lifestyle and worked to throw off the expectations that had been placed on them. Embraced by a number of famous sapphic women of the early 20th century, it likely had a hand in creating the butch lesbian of today. Simply put, mannish women have been around for far longer than we realize, and the concerns over them really haven't changed in 150 years.

More Reading
Frances Benjamin Johnston photos at Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collecti...
Lesbian Fashion History: https://dressingdykes.com/
Queer Style by Adam Geczy, Vicki Karaminas

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00:00 Developing a Look
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