Smells like diesel

A new documentary sheds light on the world of butch dykes

by Christopher Muther

After spending the last two years observing and filming more than 20 butch lesbians for her documentary Scent uVa Butch, Jamaica Plain filmmaker Shoshana Rosenfeld has become an expert on the subject of diesel dykes, as well as a self-described radical gender activist. Rosenfeld says she hopes her 32-minute film, which gets its world premiere February 3 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, will challenge preconceived ideas about gender identity among straight and gay audiences.

In addition to the film screening, the premiere will feature performances by Letta Neely, Lisa King, and Tina D'Elia. Copies of the video will be on sale for $30, along with "butchball cards" featuring pictures of butches from the film and their vital stats.

Q: Is this a movie for everybody?

A: The themes are universal. Even if you're not a butch dyke, there's a lot to be [learned by] looking at one's own identity, and really questioning traditional concepts around gender and the need to fit in. The more time that goes by since I've finished the video, the more I've become a radical person in terms of questioning why we need gender. What does it do for us, besides really lock us into particular categories and predetermine how we're going to treat each other?

It's certainly impacted how I view my own sexuality and my own gender identity. I can take power from lots of different ways of expressing my gender.

Q: Such as?

A: Such as playing with my own masculinity and femininity in different settings. I was at the airport last week picking up a friend who was coming home from the holidays, and her plane was two hours late. So I went into the bar to wait, and I was the only woman for miles around. I knew that the possibility of my being hit on or cruised was pretty high, so I decided I was going to be butch. I changed the way I carried my body, I changed the way I interacted with people in terms of eye contact and my voice. It was really fun, and it was really empowering.

What I'm realizing is that it's not off-limits to anybody. I love getting dressed up in platform shoes and dresses and gowns, and certainly there's a definite power in that. But I'm also finding that there's a power I can tap into in terms of moving through the world in a more masculine way. That's really great and really liberating and really fun.

Q: So the movie can also function as a self-help tape for lipstick lesbians?

A: Well, certainly one of the things I want people to do is talk about gender, talk about what function it serves in people's lives and how people play with it.

Q: What will your next project be?

A: My next project is to tour Scent uVa Butch around the world. I want to play with the piece and see what kind of hell I can raise. Some scenes are quite explicit. Really erotic and really hot, things that we haven't seen in dyke video before. So I'm really proud of that

Q: You sound like a bit of a troublemaker.

A: Yes, thank you, that's a compliment for me. I definitely see myself as a troublemaker, and I'm working on expanding that part of myself. I've always seen myself as something of an activist, but it's not until lately that I feel I've found my groove and how to express my politics. I feel that with Scent uVa Butch I've been able to do that in a really fun way.

The Scent uVa Butch premiere party, produced by Hanarchy Now Productions, takes place February 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline. Tickets are $7.50 and are available at New Words bookstore, 186 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, (617) 876-5310; Grand Opening!, 318 Harvard Street, Brookline, (617) 731-2626; We Think the World of You bookstore, 540 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-423-1965; or Hi-Fi Records, 620 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-4495.

---

Respond to this article.

---