Hi, sorry to mods/admins if this thread should belong in the transgenders forum..

I've been looking for books recently on the subject of femininity and womanhood, not that I'm trying to find an easy solution to transitioning, rather that I'm very keen on the aquisition of surplus knowledge on the lifestyle of being a woman as well as maybe learn a few extra things about being feminine

However, all I seem to find are things like:

The Power of Femininity: Rediscovering the Art of Being a Woman (Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Femininity-Rediscovering-Being-Woman/dp/0736901426/ref=pd_cp_b_1
Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World (Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802450849?tag=http03-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0802450849&adid=1C8JPDKWWD9XXJR7WW7B&
Woman: God's Masterpiece: Understanding and Living the Feminine Genius (Audio CD)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1932631925?tag=http03-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1932631925&adid=10XE6T4KYMVA6043NYM3&

Now, this is just frustrating because I'm an atheist, I'm not interested in reading about how "god created woman" or anything else like spiritual guidence from a god..

Is there any literature about femininity out there which doesn't involve any gods? All book recommendations will be much appreciated Thanks you <3

Edit: I found a nice looking book that fits the criteria
http://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Fathers-House-Conscious-Femininity/dp/0877738963/ref=pd_cp_b_2

I'm not exactly sure what you're looking for, but I just finished reading Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano. It was honestly one of the best gender-related books I've ever read. If you're looking for a guide on how to be feminine, this isn't it. It is, however, an extremely insightful critique of a large number of things that every one of us in this forum would do well to think about: feminism, the demonizing of femininity, sexism, bigotry, biological determinism versus "gender is formed solely through social conditioning" (i.e. nature vs. nurture), the LGBT community, trans activism...

If nothing else, it'll make you think.

Quote from: brainiac on May 17, 2010, 07:37:21 PM
I'm not exactly sure what you're looking for, but I just finished reading Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano. It was honestly one of the best gender-related books I've ever read. If you're looking for a guide on how to be feminine, this isn't it. It is, however, an extremely insightful critique of a large number of things that every one of us in this forum would do well to think about: feminism, the demonizing of femininity, sexism, bigotry, biological determinism versus "gender is formed solely through social conditioning" (i.e. nature vs. nurture), the LGBT community, trans activism...

If nothing else, it'll make you think.

Wow I'm reading that site you linked me to and it sure looks good I should buy this and have a read through it, it looks like it'll be very enriching and educational

Lol I guess I am kind of looking for a guide on how to be feminine, as cheesy as that sounds Like I said before, I'm not looking for an easy solution to transitioning, I'm just after extra resources so I could be even more complete and be more feminine than I am right now Thanks for the suggestion

I've also found another book:
The Way of Woman: Awakening the Perennial Feminine (Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385485743?tag=http03-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0385485743&adid=0T0STY7G36QR58HYG67D&

Quote from: ƃuıxǝʌ on May 17, 2010, 08:08:16 PM
The best way to learn to be a woman is by living as a woman. 

I already do! I still want to read these kind of books for extra learning

It's just how I am during physics classes, I'd buy and read physics textbooks that I didn't need so I could learn more

Womyn come in all shapes and sizes psychologically.

Female or male you can only really be yourself.

Having said that one book (possibly a little off topic) which I read with interest back in the early 70's was Germaine Greer's "The Female Eunuch" which, although I did not know it at the time, was an important book for the feminist movement back then.

That became a formative influence on me... possibly one reason why when I met Professor Greer about six years back, we actually got on very well, despite her well publicised reservations about people who have changed sex.

A lot of the ideas in the book have now evolved somewhat, thankfully society has moved on considerably in its attitudes, but it's still worth a read to see where soem of the great ideas of modern western feminist womanhood have come from.

Quote from: rejennyrated on May 18, 2010, 05:18:11 AM
Womyn come in all shapes and sizes psychologically.

Female or male you can only really be yourself.

Having said that one book (possibly a little off topic) which I read with interest back in the early 70's was Germaine Greer's "The Female Eunuch" which, although I did not know it at the time, was an important book for the feminist movement back then.

That became a formative influence on me... possibly one reason why when I met Professor Greer about six years back, we actually got on very well, despite her well publicised reservations about people who have changed sex.

A lot of the ideas in the book have now evolved somewhat, thankfully society has moved on considerably in its attitudes, but it's still worth a read to see where soem of the great ideas of modern western feminist womanhood have come from.

Um I suppose they do! I suppose I'm the intellectual kind

Nononono, I'm not interested in feminist literature, eew! I'm after books about being feminine, ones that don't talk about religion anyway

Quote from: ƃuıxǝʌ on May 18, 2010, 03:46:48 PM
This blog is pretty much the diametric opposite of feminist literature and touts itself as an ultimate guide to being feminine:
http://theartofbeingfeminine.blogspot.com/
Enjoy.

Haha that link look familiar, if I'm right then thats been my prime source of femininity books, the kind which I've been complaining about Also, the blog seems to be chock-full of adverts and other dodgey things and my computer is always downloading something whenever i have that page open even after the page has fully downloaded..

I suppose I should keep digging into the recommended literature (theres like 1000 titles) and use the power of amazon alternative literature recommendation engine! Thats how I foun that Art of Woman book.

Tho, here I was hoping other girls might have read some good books and would give me a heads up XD Also, I wanna complain about the seemingly strong association with femininity and gods DX

Quote from: ƃuıxǝʌ on May 18, 2010, 05:48:03 PM
Sadly you're going to find this is very common; since many of the most 'feminine' ideals have their roots in very patriarchal religions which promote the ownership and obedience of women.

This is one part of feminism I'd agree with! (assuming feminists are against this)

I want to be feminine for myself and not for anybodys god(s) :\ I'll see what I can dig up anyway.

Quote from: ƃuıxǝʌ on May 18, 2010, 06:27:18 PM
I think you'd agree with 95% of feminist ideals if you examined them. Feminism isn't against being 'feminine'; it's about understanding where these socially constructed ideals of gender and femininity come from and owning or rejecting them based on feminist ideals rather than patriarchal ideals.
As I said, I'm a very 'girly' person, but I'm understand where the social affectations of femininity come from and why many of them are harmful.
Feminism is about having the power to choose whether you want to be a girly girl or stone butch. Feminism is about having the power to choose to stay home and raise your kids or being child-free and having a high-powered career.
Feminism is about choice and equality.

Oh really? Personally, I think women are perfectly equal to men and that should be reflected in society's attitude regarding females. But I do think it's important that us girls don't forget our natural grace and beauty, for those are our strengths

I managed to find a nice looking femininty training book using google instead of that blogsite:
T'ai Chi: The Mulan Style (A Feminine Art for Power, Grace & [VHS]
http://www.amazon.com/Tai-Chi-Mulan-Style-Feminine/dp/1893634043

This book seems to be a Tai Chi methodology for training oneself to move more gracefully Tho, the ancient VHS technology is a bit outdated

Check out ->-bleeped-<-: A Declaration of Independence Expanded and Updated Second Edition by Inga Muscio - bought it for a cis-female Feminist I know, and she loved it.