What does it mean to be “feminine” or “masculine” today, and can you take on shades of both?

Five characters navigate life on the fringes as they grapple with gender definitions, whether by choice or by circumstance. At best, society disregards them. At worst, they are relentlessly harassed—even viciously bullied—for being different.

Inspired by the true stories of women (and men) who relate to being butch, Pretty Butch examines feminine masculinity that is often hidden from everyday life and explores the diversity of butchness through the experiences of different people who defy gender conventions.

Pretty Butch, was developed in residence at Centre 42, under the Boiler Room and the Basement Workshop, a programme for new works and works-in-the-making.

RELATIONSHIP TO ART & SKIN

The label of ‘butch’ is a problematic one. Traditionally, its connotations of hyper-masculinity seem to suggest a complete lack of femininity and hold people who subscribe to the label to unrealistic standards. However, our ideas of masculinity and femininity have evolved over the years. Is being butch only skin deep? Or does being butch point to something closer to the core of the individual?