Animal types have long been a part of gay slang, but they dont have the monopoly. For one thing, lesbian bears definitely existas do stags, soft stags, and their counterpart does.But what is a stag who can claim the moniker? Well, to answer that PRIDE turned to the experts for their take on the label. Edward Reese, gender and sexuality expert at Taimi, and Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at relationship magazine Passionerad, gave us the lowdownand as it turns out, this one is for the bis.What is a 'soft stag' and where did the term originate?The terms stag and soft stag are fairly new terms, Reese tells PRIDE. The term first popped up on Tumblr in 2018 and spread to other online platforms. Eventually, it started showing up in bigger city communities. Initially, the term didnt really take off enough to outshine the classics of sapphic terminology, but now its getting kind of a revival, he says.The label refers to an aesthetic rather than an identity. Stags are bisexual women who present more masculine, kind of like butch but for bisexuals. A soft stag is like a soft butch, meaning the person presents as a bit more feminine and less aggressive, but still has that butchy style, says Reese.One can think of a soft stag as someone whos partly feminine and partly masculine, but where the masculine side often is strongest, adds Roos. A soft stag can be a bit androgynous since they mix between feminine and masculine attributes in a playful waybut often not as much as a tomcat (androgynous bi sapphic) since the soft stag will be more masculine!How does it present and how is it different from other bisexuals?As this label primarily speaks to a personal style and presentation, Roos says you can expect to see stags and soft stags in androgynous and masc-leaning clothing but feels free to switch it up. A soft stag can, for example, dress in a pair of heels, baggy jeans and a big hoodie while wearing makeup, or they can dress fully feminine one day and the other wear only masculine clothing, she says.As for where they land on the spectrum of bisexual aesthetic identity, Roos says stags are the most masc-presenting of the bisexuals, followed by soft stags. Its also the identity together with tomcats that leaves most room to be playful over the traditional gender boundaries, which leads to a big freedom for bi sapphics who feel they dont fit into any of the other identities, she says.Who can be a soft stag and how does gender identity?For those at home scratching their heads over the need for labels like stags, soft stags, and does, Reese explains it can often be because it is less innately gendered than the classic butch/femme dichotomyparticularly for nonbinary folks. Nonbinary folks who identify as bisexual and vibe with the soft stag energy can use it too. It might even feel more comfortable for them, since the term doesnt have the same gendered associations as butch or stud, he says.Its also fun, he adds. For many, though, soft stag feels a bit magical and witchy. In many pagan traditions, animals are seen as protectors or symbols of personal power, especially strong animals like a stag or deer.Whatever the case may be, isnt the whole point of being queer being able to blaze our own trails when it comes to our identities? Yes, yes it is. So, if stag or soft stag just feels right to you, claim it.Experts cited:Edward Reese, gender and sexuality expert at TaimiSofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at relationship magazine Passionerad