feminity

Femininity, or feminity in variant spellings, refers to a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles traditionally associated with women or girls in a given culture. Derived from Latin femina, the term encompasses social expectations about appearance, comportment, and interpersonal conduct that societies attribute to femininity. It is a social and cultural construct rather than a universal biological trait.

Expressions of femininity vary between cultures and historical periods. Traits deemed feminine in one society may differ or be valued differently in another. Gender socialization, media representation, and institutions shape what is considered appropriate or desirable, and these norms can change over time.

Femininity is distinct from biological sex; people may identify as women, men, nonbinary, or other identities while expressing femininity, or may reject it. Some individuals identify as femme or feminine-presenting, including trans women and nonbinary people. Androgynous or nonconforming expressions challenge traditional gender binaries and show that femininity can be one dimension of diverse gender presentations.

Critiques from feminist and gender studies traditions have questioned essentialist links between femininity and biology, arguing that femininity signals are culturally constructed and can be redefined to promote equality. Intersectional perspectives emphasize how race, class, sexuality, disability, and other factors shape expectations of femininity. There is ongoing discussion about the pressures of idealized femininity, including beauty norms and caregiving roles.

In practice, the concept informs fashion, media, education, and personal identity, but it remains continually negotiated as societies evolve.