Edited by Melbourne-born, Portland-based Esther Godoy, a new Australian publication – Butch Is Not a Dirty Word – aims to reclaim the term ‘butch’ and create more positive representations of masculine-presenting women. 

The annual anthology began life as a photography project inspired by San Francisco photographer Meg Allen’s series, Butch – but Godoy added essays after realising that Australia’s community was ‘much younger’ and that ‘the project needed more context and explanation’. 

Some photos featured here, taken by Georgia Smedley, are included in the first issue which is out now

• Reclaiming ‘butch’: ‘It’s surprising how much of a taboo it still is’