Quote from: Butterfly on October 04, 2007, 12:31:50 PM
It'd be my pleasure. Femininity is a natural trait attributed to something female.
Masculinity is natural trait attributed to something male.
Each are heterosexual constructs because when either group portrays traits of the opposite sex it is unnatural since a man cannot be naturally feminine, and a woman cannot be naturally masculine.
There are women who are not overtly feminine, and men who are not overtly masculine, however, you cannot say a man is naturally feminine or a woman is naturally masculine because in order for them to portray those qualities they would have to exaggerate external verbal, or non-verbal cues in order to convey those traits to other people.
Ok, up to a point. I can agree with your statements. Initially it gave the impression that being feminine or masculine were defined within the construct of a heterosexual relationship. To which I disagreed. I consider myself to be female and a lesbian.
To me your clarification states that a male who attempts to define femininity is at a disadvantage because he has not had the experience of being female. In the same respect a female who attempts to define masculinity can only work within her experience and since she has never been male could not describe it accurately.
Kind of like the gender version of "I may not know about art, but I know what I like."
The question stated was "What is femininity?". I agree, I can only define it from my point of view, my internal feelings. But to the extent that I *have* those feelings, I feel I am feminine. I have no idea, nor do I care really, how someone else may define me. It is what is between *my* ears that counts.
Thanks for the clarification!
-Sandy (less confused)
