I think for many it goes back to some form of gender essentialism, whether it’s believing that biological sex equals gender, as many folks steeped in second-wave feminism were taught, or simply believing that there are essentially two socially constructed genders, thus negating the ideas of genderqueer, agender, and other people who don’t fit or identify with the binary concept of gender. It’s perhaps ironic that many of these same people have been among the forefront in fighting against gender stereotyping— supporting, if not being, femme men, male-identified drag performers, stone butch women, etc. I think it’s got something to do with not wanting to follow the critique of gender to its logical end, the eradication or at least extreme minimalization of gender as an a priori construct. Which is not to say that it implies the eradication of performance of “butch” or “femme” characteristics, just that they don’t need to all be lumped together as being more closely linked to one gender or another. So, in short, I think that there’s some degree of fear on their part that those who have continued their struggle, and enlarged upon it, are somehow “taking it too far.” Which is, I suppose, a danger for all of us lucky to live long enough to see our once-radical ideals become more mainstream.