Masculinity vs Femininity

The google definition of these words :

Masculinity – qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of men or boys.

Femininity – qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of women or girls.

Masculinities and femininities refer to the social roles, behaviours, and meanings prescribed for men and women in any society at any time. Such normative gender ideologies must be distinguished from biological ‘sex,’ and must be understood to be plural as there is no single definition for all men and all women. Masculinities and femininities are structured and expressed through other axes of identity such as class, race, ethnicity, age, and sexuality.

Masculinity

Masculinity is usually associated with being a “real man”; attributes like being stoic and unemotional, being physically strong, not showing weakness (quite often through emotion). However, it is said that following these traditional attributes of “being a man” can be harmful. Men are less likely to search for the help of a mental health specialist than women because of the idea that “masculine men” cannot show emotion.

However, there’s a growing population of men who are beginning to reject the traditional ideas of masculinity and redefining what it means to be a man.

Femininity

‘Femininity’ is a familiar term. Conversations about being feminine are common in everyday life and many people use the word ‘feminine’ to describe themselves and others. They may equate femininity with being a woman who embodies characteristics like being nurturing, sensitive, demure, or sweet. But femininity cannot be understood as a fixed set of essential traits that characterize all women.

As a scholarly concept, femininity can carry diverse meanings with numerous interpretations. Within the context of heterosexual relationships, performances of femininity can employ different scripts. These scripts act as guidelines for individual behaviour and social interaction. They are learned at an early age and reinforced throughout the life course. When examined as a whole, individual expressions of femininity reveal distinct patterns. These themes become reinforced throughout different social institutions such as media, education, religion, sports, and the workforce.

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