All agree in recognising the fact that females exist in the human species; today as always they make up about one half of humanity. And yet we are told that femininity is in danger; we are exhorted to be women, remain women, become women. It would appear, then, that every female human being is not necessarily a woman; to be so considered she must share in that mysterious and threatened reality known as femininity.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Femininity is presented as a threatened, mysterious quality that only some women possess, separating biological sex from the concept of womanhood.
- In plain terms
- Being a woman is not just about being female; it involves a special, endangered femininity.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not equate sex with gender identity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines femininity beyond biology?
- How does this view affect women's self‑perception?
Another view
The quote assumes a universal notion of 'feminity' that many may reject.
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