Is femininity 100% a social construct?

[DaneaFL]

I haven't seen a clear definition of what you guys consider "femininity" yet.

Is it being nurturing and compassionate?

or is it giggling and being scared of spiders? Because I've seen guys who jumped PRETTY far when they saw a spider... and they don't bother me.

or is it being slim, having long hair, and walking like a diva with your chin up, neck long, shoulders back, chest out, abs tight, pelvis forward, and butt tight?

Certain parts of what you would call "femininity" are obviously beneficial traits like nurturing and empathy, but the others are simply social customs that change from one place to another.

 

[Deelmo]

There's a complex interplay of nature and nurture in traits like feminity (and masculinity, for that matter). There are very real differences between men and women beyond simply being of two different biological sexes. Psychologically, both have characteristics that are more suited to the roles which they naturally play, with women being more inclined to care for children, men being more inclined toward physically defensive or offensive actions, etc. Obviously that isn't meant to stereotype either gender; men aren't blood-thirsty, war-hungry monsters who hate children and women aren't doting mothers who can't serve a useful role in hunting or in national defense, for instance. There are differences, though, and these play a role in forming the biological basis for the socially constructed aspects of feminity and masculinity.

With the biological basis being the same universally, there are going to be certain aspects which are common to the societal concepts attached to the two genders. Exceptions exist, but generally they're extreme. In many cases, they're also based off of unusual local circumstances. There are also unhealthy societal expressions of biological concepts of feminity and masculinity, like the corset worn by women in Victorian society or the agoge of ancient Sparta. Biology is the basis of many of the societal constructs in feminity or masculinity, but the social construct can go too far and become extremely unhealthy.

Exactly - it is UNNATURAL to shave, it is UNNATURAL to wear make-up, it is UNNATURAL to style the hair on your head, it is UNNATURAL is bind the feet in infantcy, it is UNNATURAL to wear high heals.

But if a woman chooses NOT to do these things - she is call UNNATURAL, UN feminine, or butch.

Basically (not included reproductive parts) the male/female physical outer differences are in the brow ridge, jaw line, and hip. This allows the brain to make a gender judgement at a distance in less than 1/10 of a second.

There are distinct differences in the brain of male/female that allow for nuturing/caring and fight/hunter traits. These traits are supplemented by hormone differences also for the majority of humans, but not all.

SOOOOOOO many social concepts are placed on women/feminity. I don't believe this is the way God intended it to be.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

SOOOOOOO many social concepts are placed on women/feminity. I don't believe this is the way God intended it to be.

Well, some are acceptable social constructs and some are clearly unacceptable.

Wearing a suit to a business meeting, for instance, is a social construct that we accept because it's a way of expressing a natural inclination (the inclination to treat serious matters with formality). Wearing a corset day in and day out is a social construct that we should not accept because, while it involves a biological attribute of women, it is harmful, uncomfortable, and dangerous.

If a person rebels against a social construct, then we need to consider the reasons for that. Is it because the social construct is actually harmful in some way, or is it an inclination to rebel against the natural principal underlying the social construct? In the previous case, then it's laudable when a person rebels against a social construct. In the latter, it's not.

 

[Jazer]

I haven't seen a clear definition of what you guys consider "femininity" yet.

So you have not been indoctrinated into the Feminist Movement? Is that like something out of the history book now? If the Hippies turned into Yippies, then what did the Feminists turn into?

giggling and being scared of spiders?

My wife usually kills the spiders. Not that I am afraid of them so much as I do not like to kill anything.

 

[Michael]

I haven't seen a clear definition of what you guys consider "femininity" yet.

Is it being nurturing and compassionate?

or is it giggling and being scared of spiders? Because I've seen guys who jumped PRETTY far when they saw a spider... and they don't bother me.

or is it being slim, having long hair, and walking like a diva with your chin up, neck long, shoulders back, chest out, abs tight, pelvis forward, and butt tight?

Certain parts of what you would call "femininity" are obviously beneficial traits like nurturing and empathy, but the others are simply social customs that change from one place to another.

Not only do they change from one place and culture to another as you rightly point out, but they can actually vary by the individual. I find it attractive for a woman to be "assertive", whereas I know friends that live in my same town that find that type of assertiveness to be a "turn off", or "butch" in some way.

 

[Deelmo]

Well, some are acceptable social constructs and some are clearly unacceptable.

Wearing a suit to a business meeting, for instance, is a social construct that we accept because it's a way of expressing a natural inclination (the inclination to treat serious matters with formality). Wearing a corset day in and day out is a social construct that we should not accept because, while it involves a biological attribute of women, it is harmful, uncomfortable, and dangerous.

If a person rebels against a social construct, then we need to consider the reasons for that. Is it because the social construct is actually harmful in some way, or is it an inclination to rebel against the natural principal underlying the social construct? In the previous case, then it's laudable when a person rebels against a social construct. In the latter, it's not.

Not understanding what you're saying. Wearing a suit is a "social construct". How do get that? And what is NATURAL about any social construct in regards to feminity? Not trying to sound harsh, just wanting clarification of your opinion. I thought we were in agreement, now I'm not sure.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Not understanding what you're saying. Wearing a suit is a "social construct". How do get that? And what is NATURAL about any social construct in regards to feminity? Not trying to sound harsh, just wanting clarification of your opinion. I thought we were in agreement, now I'm not sure.

Human beings have natural tendencies toward certain patterns of behavior. Because we're social animals, a lot of our social constructs reflect those natural tendencies. I'll use the example of the suit, again, because the suit is a socially constructed way of expressing our natural tendency toward being serious in an important situation; the suit itself has historical origins and hasn't always been around, but the underlying idea has.

Feminity and masculinity are real things with natural origins. When an individual construct is physically harmful or objectifying (like the corset and foot-binding, for instance, or like the more modern idea that women need to look like airbrushed models), then it's bad, but that doesn't mean that all constructs associated with feminity and masculinity are bad, since feminity and masculinity themselves are natural.

 

[keith99]

This post, and others, seem to only mention femininity in relation to children; which furthers the point; young girls or teenagers, or adult women who act "feminine", who don't yet have children, are only feminine because it's a societal construct. Why else would young girls and women without children, act feminine, when they have no reason to be?

Perhaps because what is called feminine consists of doing those things that will attract a mate. Those who already have a mate need to do less of that.

Grooming is interesting. Part is very basic and as far as I know follows all societies and down into animals. Clean, no matted hair and the like. But society specific things get adde. Long hair, no body hair, long nails and the like. The idea has sound roots, clean and healthy, but it has branches that are society specific and even some that are detrimental (bound feet).