Stud Identity Among Female-Born Youth of Color: Joint Conceptualizations of Gender Variance and Same-Sex Sexuality

Abstract

Little is known about the experiences of individuals who may fall under the umbrella of “transgender” but do not transition medically and/or socially. The impact of the increasingly widespread use of the term “transgender” itself also remains unclear. The authors present narratives from four female-born youth of color who report a history of identifying as a “stud.” Through analysis of their processes of identity signification, the authors demonstrate how stud identity fuses aspects of gender and sexuality while providing an alternate way of making meaning of gender variance. As such, this identity has important implications for research and organizing centered on an LGBT-based identity framework.