Performing Femininity
Jun. 7th, 2011 01:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
apple_pathways(Disclaimer: Dudes, I want your opinions, too. I know there's, like: two of you who read my journal regularly. But don't feel left out if it seems I'm only talking to the ladies!)
The subject has come up elsewhere, and it's been on my mind recently: what is femininity? Is it the traditional, stereotypical traits that have historically been prized in women? (And in whose history?) Has the definition evolved significantly over time, or are we still stuck in an antiquated frame of mind? Which qualities are absolutely necessary in order to be considered feminine, and which are optional?
Are you offended when certain traits, interests, or qualities are described as masculine or feminine? As for myself, whenever I've taken any sort of "Male or Female" brain test, I've always skewed slightly toward the masculine side of the scale. (Including when I took such a test in college as a research participant for credit in my psychology class.) It does bother me when people say I "think like a guy", but I do realize that when it comes to science, they're speaking about statistical norms, which I'm cool with, because I like math. :P (Even though, as a child, I got much more attention for my writing abilities than I did my mathematical skill.)
(If anyone else is interested in taking a test based on "male vs. female" brain science, here's a really good one from the BBC. Save it for when you have some time, though, as there are multiple parts. Though I do believe you can save each section as you finish.)
[Poll #1749763]
Also, I'd like to know: how well do you fit into (what you perceive to be) your culture's definition of 'masculine' or 'feminine'? What do you think of others who are unable to adhere to your culture's rules? How many of the differences between men and women come from biology, and how many are culturally constructed?
I'll provide my own responses once I've had some sleep!
The subject has come up elsewhere, and it's been on my mind recently: what is femininity? Is it the traditional, stereotypical traits that have historically been prized in women? (And in whose history?) Has the definition evolved significantly over time, or are we still stuck in an antiquated frame of mind? Which qualities are absolutely necessary in order to be considered feminine, and which are optional?
Are you offended when certain traits, interests, or qualities are described as masculine or feminine? As for myself, whenever I've taken any sort of "Male or Female" brain test, I've always skewed slightly toward the masculine side of the scale. (Including when I took such a test in college as a research participant for credit in my psychology class.) It does bother me when people say I "think like a guy", but I do realize that when it comes to science, they're speaking about statistical norms, which I'm cool with, because I like math. :P (Even though, as a child, I got much more attention for my writing abilities than I did my mathematical skill.)
(If anyone else is interested in taking a test based on "male vs. female" brain science, here's a really good one from the BBC. Save it for when you have some time, though, as there are multiple parts. Though I do believe you can save each section as you finish.)
[Poll #1749763]
Also, I'd like to know: how well do you fit into (what you perceive to be) your culture's definition of 'masculine' or 'feminine'? What do you think of others who are unable to adhere to your culture's rules? How many of the differences between men and women come from biology, and how many are culturally constructed?
I'll provide my own responses once I've had some sleep!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-06-08 12:16 pm (UTC)Just one thing I'd like to mention: I think stereotypical Hollywood masculinity/femininity is pretty narrowly defined, and I'm afraid most people will mostly adhere to that... so sex (in the biological sense) is going to play the paramount part in how reactions from others are conditioned (hence my picking it), but personally I think self-definition is the most important, and probably to some degree reflected in how a person wants to be presented/presents themselves at any given time - thought processes and emotional style don't quite fit into that, so I chose physical representation as the most fitting approximation even though it's terribly shallow, fuzzy and problematic.
(Case in point: I'm self-identifying as female and I'm biologically female. I'm currently wearing gorgeous lilac nailpolish and ran about in a skirt the other day, but I'm still not feeling terribly feminine (maybe a little) about myself, while my grandmother commented how nice it was to see me behave 'like the girl you are'. Argh. So there is a big divide between perception and self-image, not the least. I still think many people will actively cultivate how they want to be perceived.)
I'm sorry if this my making no sense whatsoever, and more if I managed to offend someone - feel free to call me out on it.