Scoping out the competition is just as important as scoping out the prey.

I don't think most try to. I think they have preferences of looking butch or not. I have known many girly lesbians. Some are even attracted to other girly lesbians. Everyone is different. Just like gay men.

I've always wondered the same thing myself. I don't understand how a girly lesbian can be attracted to a women who looks like a man. Seems to defeat the purpose. Kind of like lindsay lohan and samantha. But I suppose if you're truly in love, looks don't matter. As for the lesbians who try to look like men, or butch as it's called, perhaps some of them wish they were men since they like girls and it's just natural for them to dress more like a man and have short hair, etc.

The lesbians I know look like gorgeous women. Besides you could say the same about gay men. Some like them masculine and some feminine. It is all about the gender. Not the variations within that gender.

in some lesbien relationships they like to have a feminin women role and a mascilin women role and the mascilin women do look kind of manish

The same reason a straight female does, she is comfortable wearing mens clothes.

You seem very naive. Haven't you ever heard of lipstick lesbians? You don't even realize what goes on behind closed doors.

I've known lesbians who looked both ways. The one I currently know tries her best to look masculine including a 'chain drive wallet'. The other one, I went out with (can't say dated), was truly feminine. She was a lot of fun to be with if you understood she didn't get it on with guys.

Lets start with "most". Most do not. Most look like any other woman. The ones that do, there's a couple reasons. One would be that they are men trapped in women's bodies. They were born women, but are sexually attracted to women, enjoy men's clothing, and act masculine. There's also the question of what you consider looking like a man. There are plenty of straight women with short hair and masculine clothing. Especially in high-up office positions. Just like in a work environment, the women feel they need to compete with men. Just like with straight people, what a person is attracted to differs. Some men are attracted to tomboys, some to supermodels. Same thing goes for a lesbain. A lesbian isn't simply attracted to the typical pretty girl. There is a wide range of what a person is attracted to. A girl liking a girl isn't simply a matter of being attracted to a girly girl.

Once upon a time, that may have been more true. But, as we all evolve...we often become more comfortable just being ourselves! Some do like dressing and acting more "stereotypically" masculine, and some do not. Some are more "Stereotypically" feminine. We do what suits us and what we are comfortable with. I like to consider myself to be a "Capable Fem." Sometimes I wear jeans or even overalls when I'm working, gardening, dog training, horse training, doing SAR work...And sometimes I dress like a Hippy in long skirts or dresses...And other times I'm happy to dress up in stockings and something elegant or dressy playful/seductive. It really depends on my mood, and what activity I am doing at the time. I have very long strawberry hair, sometimes I wear some make up...I have my nails done about every two to three weeks..and I keep them a bit shorter than I might enjoy the look of, but then I use my hands a lot...typing, playing piano, guitar, gardening, cooking, cleaning and training animals...long nails aren't practical..but they are painted, and well groomed, because I like them to be. I have and can chop wood, do drywall, paint, do stained glass, do tile work and bake...negotiate deals with large sums of money...mine or yours (grin), write books, write music, dance, and if I practice more often, shoot pool fairly well on occasion... What am I? Capable first and foremost, I like to think! I was originally attracted to more butch like women, and I even dressed as butch (without cutting my hair!) when I first "came out." I THOUGHT that was what we were supposed to do...roflmao.... I learned better. How someone LOOKS is not any remote promise that they will be a better person, a better lover, better at protecting me from things I might fear, better at anything that I can do or learn to do myself... While I would love to be able to honestly say that ALL or MOST Lesbians are simply wonderful people who would never treat a woman badly...the truth is that we are JUST FOLKS...like everyone else alive out there...Some are wonderful folks..and some are as screwed up, or mean or self-serving as any other twit ever born; of EITHER gender or preference... My partner owns no skirts or dresses, or pantyhose...she wears her hair down to her shoulders, we jokingly call her a "Tweener" kinda butch (although SHE carries a bag to keep her wallet in, while I, if wearing pants..have mine in my back pocket! lmao) kinda femm...can't stand to have anything on her nails ever...we are who we are...we are women who like to be women, who also happen to be Lesbians.

I wouldn't say most, many of them look gorgeous, and it the same thing as gay men trying to look feminine. That just comes with the package.

I am not sure that most lesbians try to look like men at all, I guess it is just easier to assume a woman is a lesbian if she looks butch, you see a lipstick maybe you would be more likely to assume she was straight. Anyway... I am actually more attracted to butch lesbians than lipstick lesbians. Besides, I imagine that if some lesbians weren't attracted to the butch look you would see a whole lot of single and lonely butch lesbians, but they get girlfriends just as lipstick lesbians do. Each to our own... some straight girls like really 'macho' rough around the edges men, while some like polished metrosexuals with pretty boy faces. Same thing. We are attracted to different looks.

I don't know; I just assume that they are living in the way in which they feel natural and comfortable.

Without telling you what my sexual preferences are I will tell you how I dress. I am nearly always wearing jeans or denim shorts with comfortable t-shirt or sleeveless tops. When its cold a long sleeve shirt or sweater goes over the top. My hair is loose, shoulder length and seldom styled. Sometimes I tuck my hair into a ball cap. I wear no or small earrings in my pierced ears. I seldom wear make-up. Many of my jeans and shirts are purchased from the men's department because they are sturdier than those bought in the women's department. If you saw me on the street what would you guess my sexual orientation was?

I had a boss who was lesbian and i did not and later i came to know that she was lesbian and she used to ride bike and her clothing were like man.

I knew a lesbian named Bobby for 10 years I thought she was a man. When I found out she was female I couldnt see her the same.... lol

I think the reason SOME lesbians try to look like men, is because they feel like they should have been born men, and they identify themselves with mens clothing, etc.....

Most don't. Thats such a sterotype.

Most lesbians do not try to look like men. There are feminine lesbians & there are studs (like me). Most of us have been dressing like guys b4 we knew we were gay. Its all about how we feel inside. I'll admit there are quite a few made(fake) studs, but for the true studs, we dress how we feel, which is masculine.

most lesbians have had bad experence with men , and didnt get much love and caring from them . so they try to look like men and act like them and treat women the way they should be treated . thats all .

I think the reason behind this is some lesbians feel like they are men inside. I think the reason for some lesbians liking women who look like men is quite simply while they like the way a man looks they like a woman's (how do I say this politely?) "happy parts" better. :)

For many of us butches or dykes its not about looking like a guy, although id bet about 90% of dykes and butches are better guys than actual males lol sorry but we know how to really treat women honestly...how we dress is just a style. some straight men dress in whatever jeans and a t shirt and others like to buy nice clothes and suits its just how they like to dress. some straight women wear nothing but tshirts and jeans while others wear dresses skirts and are really "girly" so to say. its the same thing with gays and lesbians we dress in whatever fits our style. it doesnt neccessarily mean a butch or dyke wants to be a man.

Most probably for the same reason that some gay men dress up as women.I suppose they act like a straight couple,but one or the other has to be the dominant one.

I'm Bi and when I'm with a girl I'm the FEM..Some woman rather a women who looks like a man because she misses that aggressiveness. (Even in a LEZ couple one is the man and one is the women. Even if there both FEMZ) But cant no women do it like a man..(LOL)

I used to wonder about that myself until one day it was explained to me that the point of looking the way they do is to discourage men's attention by appearing as unattractive to men as possible, theory being that other lesbians would presumably understand intuitively that beauty is only skin deep, but the real person is worth peeling the layers of the onion to discover. Ironically, I've seen some damn hot lesbians who could attract any man they wanted. Go figure.

This is something I do not get as well. Being a lesbian myself, I prefer the types that actually look like girls. Long hair, tan skin, and killer eyes. :)

They want to be less feminine.

I do NOT look like a man and would not want someone who look like one either. P.S...Some straight woman can look pretty butchy too. :)

i havent read the answers. generally women who look like men is denide. few want to admit it. why do they have one dressed in a tux and the other dressed in a wedding dress, then get married. everyone is different. everyone is the same.

Some people feel more masculine then feminine.As long as a person is happy,I don't see the problem.I dress like a woman mostly,but I wear boxer shorts(Sometimes sleeveless T-shirts to bed),so to each their own,I guess. +5

Yeah, and why do gay men act like women? it's fucked up!!!

Most?! No mayb half.. an sum that to luk more tomboyish arnt tryin 2 luk lyk men they r purfer comfy clothes an easy haircuts.. im betwen butch and femme myslf.. but tehn again that jst stereotype

lesbians dont always try to look like men. thats a load of shit. some straight women are ugly enough to look like men. does that make them lesbian???? no. i'm bisexual. does that mean i should look half man half woman?? no it fucking doesn't. everyone chooses what they look like, it does not depend on their sexuality at all.

everybody is diffrent. i know for me i don't try to be like a man ever since i was little i've been wearing loose clothes plus it copmfortable.

As a "butch" lesbian. i look and dress butchy because i find it comfortable. My girl likes it just as much as i do and it goes with my personality and i find it nice to just be me.

Each of us have a varied love map. Various androgenous mixes whet our appetites. If I had to be with a woman, I would want a butch lesbian. By the same token, I am not attracted to ultramacho muscular guys or extremely campy and dainty guys. It prolly has been said, but I think you are thinking too categorically instead of considering the continuous range.

There are all kinds of people in the world, and how they choose to dress/look is their business.

That's a stereotype. Many lesbians are beautifully feminine. +5

They don't. It's just that the women who do look like that are the ones you think are lesbians.

You notice the ones who look like men.

i some times like some women who look somewhat like men. genderqueer women anyways.

Many look very feminine. I don't understand the ones who look like a neuter - neither a man or a woman. Every time they have let me know they are lesbian, which is obvious. But they probably are not impressed with my looks either. Each person to their own.

I wonder about that. But do you notice that the butch always want the fems?? Interesting.

Been wondering that myself.

WE dont. You would be surprised. We all look different.

I agree with that , I would think they would want to look like a super model for their woman . Though I'm not a lesbian so i'm not sure how they think .

What you mention in your question is a common stereotype that only reflects a very small percentage of lesbians. Not all lesbians want to look like men, or desire to be men, or have a problem with men at all. It has to do with taste. And just like for heterosexual girls there is a world out there of different styles and looks. Some are more boyish some are more girlish, and the whole spectrum in between. You can read and inform yourself on google about lesbians and will realize that the stereotype isn't fitting. :)

Heres the thing that i believe for it to be "beneficial" for them: U know bisexual right? Well its technically an incorrect term, or well its an almost impossible term to achieve. Now at first ur like "wait but how is it impossible?" Bisexual = liking both sexes EQUALLY. Do u know the chances of a bisexual woman liking both sexes 50.00000%? Thats like... crazy. anyways the point im trying to make is that some women are a little less attracted to women then men, so a woman that looks a bit like a man can kinda steer that percentage if its on a low for a woman... a little bit up; Get it? Ha ha kinda hard to explain but i did my best.

Some women just have masculine features and hairstyles, but that doesn't mean they're specifically trying to dress like men. I dress in men's clothes on occasion, but it's because it's comfortable not because I'm trying to look like a man. It is funny, though, when people mistake me for a guy.