A large segment is devoted to the tribulations of being a stone butch person, and the experience of being a lesbian while identifying with masculine traits.
[2] Bonnie Zimmerman documents a use of the term to refer to a lesbian who "does not allow herself to be touched during lovemaking", but may experience vicarious sexual pleasure from her partner's enjoyment.
[3] The term stone butch has also been used in reference to a subculture or set of mannerisms,[4] as opposed to a statement about sexual behaviour.
[7][8][9][10] The sociologist Sara Crawley has written that, while stone butch and masculine transgender identities may share significant characteristics, the primary distinction between the two is that lesbian self-identification prioritizes communicating one's identity to a specifically lesbian audience, whereas transgender masculine self-identification does not.
[11] Similarly, Jack Halberstam has contextualised stone butch identities as one of many distinct female masculinities.