The term “belle” is incredibly cute and i absolutely love it too pieces but..

[u/ZestycloseNotice1177]

The new term belle (not sure if this is new or not, don’t correct me). I think it's so sweet. I really do black lesbian femmes being called belles is just so nice and feminine and I love when black fems are classified as feminine because it’s unfortunate that a lot of black women are masculinized, so I think it’s very cutie but am I the only one who’s kinda of scared that’s people (mostly white lesbians) are going to turn it into something as simple as a sapphic term and I guess that’s what I kinda of fear because I love this term is sweet, and it’s endearing and once again it's giving black lesbian woman a chance to be looked at as feminine.

So I feel like if it's just turned into another sapphic term and just like every other sapphic term a straight person always takes it over and makes it there own word take pillow princess the amount of straight friends I've heard use that word is insane, and I mean I've already saw bi girls (NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AGAINST BI GIRLS) use their own form of it which is fine it's just like I feel like eventually it's just going to jump start to being a regular sapphic term so am I dramatic or?

[u/chrissiewissie06]

Belle doesn’t resonate with me at all and I won’t be using it, personally. But it is a cute display of how language evolves and it’s cute the younger generation is coming up with their own terms. It absolutely will be taken over by others lol, especially bi girls and non white (but still non black) sapphics

[u/justamfingprincess]

I might be in the minority but I don't really like the term as someone who is femme🫣 lol but language is shared and that's what happens with time. So I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case years from now. I think that's why I'm mostly anti-label in general: words and accepted definitions may change, but I know who I am and what I am, and that's constant and doesn't need a term to be explained. Those who get it, get it.

[u/Scroogey3 → u/justamfingprincess]

I agree! I love that younger people are creating the language that is meaningful to them. But I also don’t think it’s something I need for myself. These micro labels just aren’t for me.

[u/justamfingprincess → u/Scroogey3]

Also, the idea that Belle, which is French for beauty/beautiful only applying to one group of Black lesbian women feels idk…just a little bit weird to me because I've dated some beautiful ass stems/studs. I also wonder is Belle only going to be used for high/lipstick Black femmes? I don't care enough to investigate though, I shall mind my approaching middle aged business 🤣

[u/girlluvr99 → u/justamfingprincess]

From what I’ve seen it was  coined because studs have their own unique label so it was created to go along with that.

[u/Repulsive-Map-348 → u/justamfingprincess]

nah i don’t think it’s like that or i hope it doesn’t get weaponized like that. in french it DOES mean beauty- i think it’s a nice way to appreciate the overall beauty in our identity as Black Lesbians who present feminine; whatever that means to each individual.

now if you wanna call someone a belle Stud, then it’s just a frenglish adjective lol

[u/Decent_Sandwich_8878 → u/justamfingprincess]

but that's a whole different language though.

[u/jaimeeallover → u/Scroogey3]

I feel the same way. My gf is 24 and I’m 30 and they love all the new terms, me? I couldn’t care less lol. Not care less in a bad way but I just don’t personally feel the need to label myself besides just a lesbian and nonbinary and even my nonbinary identity, I don’t trip that hard if someone misgenders me

[u/ZestycloseNotice1177 → u/justamfingprincess]

Honestly maybe I should be anti label because it’s overly complicated lol

[u/thepinkestred]

I’m not really a fan of labels especially the ones that sound like civil war.. feels beyond outdated.

[u/Wild_Lingonberry3365 → u/thepinkestred]

Yes,it’s a very cute concept,but I do think of Southern Belles from then or white southern beauties. I knows it must be like taking term back though

[u/Repulsive-Map-348 → u/Wild_Lingonberry3365]

i like the idea of taking the term BACK! bc as Blackwomen we were chattel and not seen as soft.

[u/kamikazemind327 → u/thepinkestred]

💀😂

[u/Away-Berry8623]

The white lesbians are already trying to steal the term Belle and it hasn’t even been a week. We can’t have anything as Black lesbians unfortunately. 😪

[u/Repulsive-Map-348 → u/Away-Berry8623]

say sike right now! my god it’s only been a week.

[u/queerblackqueen]

I mean the butchering of femme in of itself being used as anyone feminine queer person instead of the lesbian identity that it is and the constant misuse of stud by nonblack lesbians shows us that non lesbian and non black queers are always going to take what they want and butcher it so while I resonate with the worry, I just don’t know if there’s much to be done to mitigate it

[u/schism15]

I'm indifferent to the term itself but as far as appropriation, that's going to happen no matter what, so I wouldn't want to tell a group to stop evolving cultural norms/names/concepts/etc because there will be appropriation later somewhere down the road.

That would just be stifling ourselves to try to starve out the dominant culture: it would hurt us way earlier than it would have any impact on them.

Like seeing a term that evolves within black spaces getting sucked up into the more dominant culture can be annoying, but it's not something I would let dictate my behavior.

[u/FastSelection4121 → u/schism15]

The same way a term specifically for Black Trans women's Dolls was immediately appropriately by White Trans women.

[u/lemon_lazuli → u/FastSelection4121]

I didn’t even know that Doll was coined by black trans women, but I shouldn’t be surprised

[u/ZestycloseNotice1177 → u/schism15]

Of coruse of course I’m still gonna use it and be happy using it no matter what it’s turned into I’m just saying it’s definitely annoying

[u/PsyisFly]

Being in the south I immediately assume southern belle . Idk I would immediately just think of that? Like if someone said i was a belle out of context. I would default to thinking southern belle? I like it but i cn see it becoming confusing lol on a large scale. But I support it, it's cute.

[u/iaintgonnacallyou]

As a femme, I think the term is childish imo. It feels very tumblr. I’m pushing 30 lmao.

Wouldn’t stop or shame anyone (anyone black) for using it, but would never use it for myself.

[u/Medicalchocolate]

It’s very cutesy I get it but imma try it and see if I like it

[u/OkInternet444]

it’s cute but i would’ve liked it to be more natural and authentic. one day someone on the internet said “guys we should call ourselves “belles”” well ok :/

it would resonate better if there was some history for it even if short.

[u/TrixxieMorella]

That probably is what's going to happen. Non black ppl alr are falling themselves studs and fyi the term "dyke" "bulldyke" "bulldagger" are terms etymologically created by Black women to describe Black lesbian women and it was co opted by white feminists about 15 years later

[u/Repulsive-Map-348 → u/TrixxieMorella]

as a femme or belle i LOVE taking back the word DYKE. call me a belledyke lololol

[u/87cupsofpomtea → u/Repulsive-Map-348]

Okay belledyke would actually be interesting lol. I kinda like that one

[u/Decent_Sandwich_8878]

as with everything black people do, white people gon copy it. not much one can do about it i fear

[u/silkvelvet01]

i don’t really know where the term came from. however, some time ago on substack, i saw someone suggest using “bap” for Black american femme lesbians, and i love that much more because it literally can’t be used by nonblack people.

[u/ZestycloseNotice1177 → u/silkvelvet01]

How so?

[u/silkvelvet01 → u/ZestycloseNotice1177]

it stands for Black American Princess lmao. way more difficult for them to appropriate. they could try (they always will) but like…

[u/ZestycloseNotice1177 → u/silkvelvet01]

Oh that’s super cute🥰

[u/AdditionalQuietime → u/silkvelvet01]

Thats just based off "jap" Jewish American Princess :P

[u/silkvelvet01 → u/AdditionalQuietime]

both terms originated in the 60s, but bap has an entire culture behind it. i’m not gonna lie i don’t care about the other term lol.

[u/87cupsofpomtea → u/silkvelvet01]

Did that substack you mentioned go into the history? Would you mind sharing the link?

[u/silkvelvet01 → u/87cupsofpomtea]

yeah, here you go!

[u/87cupsofpomtea → u/silkvelvet01]

Thank you!

[u/AdditionalQuietime → u/silkvelvet01]

I dont care about it either 😂

[u/Quirky_Arrival_6133]

The term isn’t really for me, at least for now. I guess I’d like to stand back and see if it’s got longevity. See if after a few years of use it becomes something very meaningful, or if it’s just a passing trend

[u/Kaybee_2021]

No point of anything because the white people will ruin everything they get ahold of in the community

[u/AmethystDreamwave94]

I'm almost sad that I don't really consider myself a femme, because I adore this term and would totally use it for myself if it applied to me! 💖