When I declare I am a woman and how do I describe my style per se, I say Female Masculinity is what I am.
Oxymoronic..... Female Masculinity?
Does being a female automatically produce femininity?
Does being a male automatically produce masculinity?
Think in terms of contemporary gender theory. Genders are said to be symmetrical, or you can say that genders are more performative when it comes to femininity but not so much when it comes to masculinity. Masculinity always ultimately comes down to the cultural, physical and social effects of male embodiment and privilege. Female Masculinity helps come against the 1970s concept of feminism, woman were not allowed to be male identified. This meant they could not associate the norm behaviors of their male counterparts within themselves.
So I go against these norms, what if I have the arms of Deter Jeter? Or the legs of Brett Farve? If I wear men's sweatpants to bed? Am I still considered "woman" enough for you?
Maybe I'm not, or maybe in your definition of a woman you wouldn't call me one. Woman and femininity remain intertwined causing female masculinity to be outside the norm.
What it really comes down to is women’s empowerment, self-confidence, and integrity. It’s about stepping back and recognizing that not all women, even if solely a minority, have to look and act like each other. It’s bigger than just body image and weight in popular culture. This is the need to confront the taboo of female masculinity and pay respect to all the women who have lived outside the standard of beauty for too long, me including. Actually, we should chuck the "standard" all together.
So now your womanhood is in question.
Could you take being criticized for your lack of femininity? Some women are masculine by choice, but for some it’s simply by nature. Some woman's muscles bulge in all the wrong places. Their body simply doesn’t curve into the typical bottle shape. It may be like a large, and awkward. However, put all this to the side, woman should still bask in being a woman and wish that other women would accept this out of the norm look into the sacred community.
So do yourself a favor, next time you walk past a woman who is represents female masculinity tell her she's beautiful. And then thank her for being her, and crossing the pretenses, barriers and most importantly the BOUNDARIES!
