Stone Butch Blues

The Dineh elder that watches Jess when she is very young gives her a turquoise ring to remember her by when Jess’s parents abruptly end the relationship. The ring becomes a kind of talisman for Jess. Wearing it or even just having it gives her a sense of empowerment. When it is stolen by the cops who attack her, she is devastated—it is as if they have stolen an essential secret part of Jess.

When Jess amasses enough savings from her union job, she buys herself a motorcycle. In addition to obviously giving her greater mobility, it also makes her feel more at home in her butch identity. More than once, she is able to evade cops that haunt the gay bars looking to harass patrons by jumping on her motorcycle. The motorcycle also attracts the attention of women she is interested in. When Jess moves to New York City, she has to get rid of her motorcycle and instead travels by subway. It is a tough adjustment for her and she is later attacked by teens on the subway and ends up with a broken jaw.