The Sapphic Sanctuary
What is a stud in LGBTQ terms?
Stud is a racially specific term used by some Black and Latinx masculine-of-center lesbians and sapphics. It is related to butch, but it is not interchangeable with it, and non-Black people should not claim it.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Stud names a masculine-of-center identity with roots in Black lesbian communities in the United States. It is related to butch, but it is not interchangeable with it. The word carries its own history, style, and community meaning.
Because stud is culturally specific, non-Black people using it for themselves is generally treated as appropriation. If you are masculine-of-center and not Black or Latinx, butch or masc is the usual language.
Compare stud, soft stud, butch, and what masc means.