"Femininity" Does NOT Mean "Weak"

One of my subjects for lab a few days ago (I won't tell you which day for his confidentiality) threw me for a loop. And then I thought back on it, and I wondered, why should it have? He walked in, he was tall but had a softer, higher voice and feminine handwriting. And so I wondered if maybe he was female to male transgender and couldn't quite place his gender. 

But since when is it my place to place someone's gender? Gender is such a socially constructed idea that, especially in Western cultures, places emphasis on the biological characteristics of the sexes. And yes, there is a difference between sex and gender. Here in America, people are forced to choose between 100% male and 100% female starting at a young age. Children are shoved into gender roles that are enforced through media and positive and negative reinforcement (i.e. being rewarded for trying on parents' makeup as a girl, and being punished for it as a boy, even if the two sexes' bodies are fundamentally the same before puberty). 

In reality, most people fall within a spectrum between the two genders, and that's something that a lot of people fail to recognize, including me when I was considering my subject. Why should I care if he has feminine characteristics? That's the type of judgment that leads to stereotypes and bullying.

Google synonyms for "masculine," and you will find words such as "strong," "vigorous," "courage," and "independence." But do the same for "feminine," and you find words such as "delicate," "sensitive," and "weak." Weak??? Really?? Even "How To" articles say becoming masculine requires commanding authority, getting physical, and taking risks. The same article teaches femininity as wearing the correct clothing for body type, wearing makeup and perfume, and being polite and eloquent. 

"Females Accessorize"

"Males Command Authority"

But this assigned role is also harmful to males. Boys are always taught to be strong and not show emotion, which has a huge impact on the psyche, and studies show that even though males appear to not get stressed out as much as females, they recover more slowly because of not having an outlet or even being able to acknowledge their emotions. Males are emotional people too. 

There is something seriously wrong with society when a whole half of its population is constantly oppressed, even if gender equality appears to be fine. Just the other day, the President of Planned Parenthood went to Congress to talk about funding, and the (primarily male) Republican Congressmen interrupted her constantly and rarely let her finish a sentence. Regardless of where you stand on the matter of Planned Parenthood, this is extremely disrespectful and demonstrates gender inequality perfectly. 

RL