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Eliana Hardy

22 March 2019

Fake Femininity in Society

What does it mean to be a woman? Femininity means many different things to many

different people. The personal attributes and values that each young woman possesses are

diverse. But society has taken it upon itself to define femininity for women all over the world.

This definition is not only inaccurate but toxic to young girls. Femininity is falsely defined by

society because it is based off of a woman's activeness, her occupation, and her level of

perfection. Although feminist are fighting to eliminate the social definition of femininity, they

have yet to succeed.

This lack of success has resulted in society falsely promoting femininity by worshiping

an ideal physical image of a woman. Society portrays the thin woman in movies, tv shows, and

magazines while the plus-size woman is not included. The media shows off these size zero

women with messages encouraging young girls to strive to look just like them. “​Female

actresses, models and TV personalities are overwhelmingly thin, which has had a detrimental

effect on the eating habits and self-esteem of countless women” ​ (Bozsik.)​ Being thin and

beautiful is engraved in the foundation of femininity. In order to be feminine young girls must be

thin no matter the cost or consequences. Due to this destructive message young girls are going to

the extreme to be thin by using laxatives, purging, and setting harmful eating restrictions upon

themselves. Studies have shown the effects of gender conformity related to an ideal physical

appearance of young people. “....regardless of sexual orientation, kids who described themselves

as more gender conforming were more likely to use laxatives (the girls) or muscle-building
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products (the boys)​” (Klass.) Youn​g people are using harmful methods to meet the standards of

femininity portrayed by the media. Trends such as “fitspiration” that on the surface encourage

good health and exercise actually have negative effects. Young girls are often subject to posts of

women in workout attire with tone muscles and thin figures, “....these images seem to be

promoting healthy ​exercise​. But analyses of the text accompanying the images have found that

they often include guilt-inducing messages that focus on body image (e.g. “Suck it up now, so

you don’t have to suck it in later”)​ (Bozsik.) ​These messages strike down body positivity and

inflict low self-esteem in young girls, potentially causing long term effects. An ideal physical

woman is not the essence of femininity. The media portrays this message to young girls

recklessly advertising what it means to be feminine.

Society also advertises a specific occupation type in order to define what it means to be

feminine. There was a time in which women had no role in the workplace and were

stereotypically categorized by being weak, over-emotional, helpless, and unintelligent. To

contradict this false categorization woman began to seek high power jobs and convey

independence and stability.​ “Since 1997, the desire to move to jobs with more responsibility

among young workers has increased. This increase has been greater for young women—from

54% to 65%” (Galinsky.)​ ​This shift in the workplace has discouraged women from engaging in

traditionally feminine jobs such as secretarial work or being a stay at home mom. There is an

even bigger connotation about women having children. Contrast is quite obvious between

modern times where women are discouraged from having children to the past where it was

expected. The disadvantages attached to motherhood are quickly increasing and are becoming

more prominent in society and the media. “It is well known, however, that "a ​motherhood
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penalty" remains—specifically, that the length of the time that mothers take out of the workforce

or work reduced hours to care for their children diminishes their lifetime earnings” (Galinsky.)

The penalties that women face for motherhood and simply personal preference are unacceptable.

Society continues to promote the message that high power occupations are the only way to go in

order to maintain feminism while ignoring women's desire for motherhood and more traditional

feminine jobs.

Society also ignores the fact that perfection isn't real and promotes the “perfect woman”.

Society expects women to be stable both emotionally and financially while also taking care of

everyone around her. From an early age young girls see messages from the media that pressure

them into having it all and doing it all. “....girls are taught to look pretty, get straight A's and be

universally liked. Rewarded for perfection all our lives, and so in love with the praise we get for

doing everything right, we're conditioned to be terrified of failure” (Why we.) Failure or

weakness is criticized causing major negative mental effects on young girls. Young girls are led

to believe that they have to be perfect all of the time. These behavioral standards are often

occupational, marital, and emotion related. “....being a "successful" woman necessitates

effortlessly navigating the journey from girlfriend to wife. It demands a stirring of the maternal

instinct at the appropriate time” (Why we.) These false pretenses of perfectionism and success

are giving young girls the wrong idea about femininity. Perfection does not exist, and expecting

young girls to always do the right thing and always have the answer causes negative mental

health effects that are detrimental to their sense of femininity.

This sense of femininity is often attacked by those who assume that women who want

equality for other women want to take it away from men. Arguments attacking the fairness of
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feminism fail to account for the staggering bias that has previously plagued our country.

Opposers often make arguments such as, “In short, feminism is not about ​justice​, and it is not

about ​equality​, and it is not about ​fairness​. Feminism blindly supports women, whether women

are wronged or not” (Walker.) This idea about the goal and purpose of feminism and defining

femininity is false. Women are not trying to impersonate the justice system but instead empower

women to rise to be the best versions of themselves. There are also arguments against this

mission to empower. Although some may believe that feminism is unnecessary, it is not only

necessary but essential for young women. With that being said there are some who disagree.

“Fast-forward to 2009, and you find that women are now fully half of the American workforce.

They earn 57 percent of bachelor's degrees, 59 percent of master's degrees, and half the

doctorates” (Sommers.) Not only are these arguments outdated but essentially irrelevant. Many

assume that progress regarding feminism means that the problem has been solved but this is not

the case. Conversation pertaining to femininity is still going on and needs to continue in order to

eliminate these false perceptions.

The way society falsely promotes feminism by relating it to a woman's attractiveness, her

occupation, and standards of perfection is detrimental to young girls. The media portrays a

physical idea of what a woman should look like and pressures young girls to fit this ideal

physique. There is also pressure for young girls to strive for high power occupations in order to

fit the mold of a “perfect woman.” Feminism has gone through many stages and has been greatly

affected by the media. What society portrays does not have to be the reality for the vulnerable

young girls seeing thin actresses on tv, and fitspiration post of “healthy” models. Women have

the opportunity to change what society says about what it means to be a woman. The time is now
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to accurately define feminism before society continues to poison young girls with toxic ideas of

what being a woman is all about.

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Works Cited

Bozsik, Frances, and Brooke L. Bennett. "The ideal female body type is getting even harder

to attain." ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection,​ Gale, 2019. ​Opposing Viewpoints

inContext​,http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/KZGBCD102012902/OVIC?u=lom_acce

ssmich&sid=OVIC&xid=733aa4a4. Accessed 25 Mar. 2019. Originally published as

"The ideal female body type is getting even harder to attain," ​The Conversation,​ 26

Mar. 2018.

"Feminism." ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection,​ Gale, 2017. ​Opposing Viewpoints in

Context,​ http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3021900064/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich

&sid=OVIC&xid=560b323e. Accessed 25 Mar. 2019.

Galinsky, Ellen, et al. "Gender Roles in the Workplace Are Converging." ​Gender Roles​,

edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010908217/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OV

IC&xid=74549eb4. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019.

Sommers, Christina Hoff. "Feminism Is Irrelevant in the Twenty-First Century." ​Feminism,​

edited by Nancy Dziedzic, Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

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&xid=e2acbee3. Accessed 27 Mar. 2019. Originally published as "Are Men the

Second Sex Now?", 20 May 2009.

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Walker, Bruce. "The Men’s Rights Movement Is a Response to the Excesses of Feminism."

Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection,​ Gale, 2019. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/YDHNFZ020287811/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&si

d=OVIC&xid=23675165. Accessed 27 Mar. 2019. Originally published as "Fighting

Anti-Male Leftism," ​American Thinker,​ 15 Sept. 2017.

"Why we should ditch the 'perfect woman' myth." ​CNN Wire​, 23 July 2018. ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A547396548/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=O

VIC&xid=dfb64b75. Accessed 27 Mar. 2019.