Culture and Femininity
Role of Culture in the Construction of Femininity
Sociologists insist on the cultural and social dependence of norms that surround sexual behaviour and the socio-historical creation of sexual identities and roles, considering that there exists a close interdependence between culture and sexuality. Femininity is a sexuality that is primarily a social relationship which is not sequestered from place and time because its unique features and character are dependent on culture, social institutions, as well as the nature of power. Cultural constructions of femininity and the body are exposed through various practices such as clothing, gestures, voice, hair, and body movements. Gender socialization which involves the process of internationalizing society’s cultural norms is a determiner of how people behave as males or female in society. This illustrates that roles accrued to femininity are socially determined sets of rights, as well as obligations that are held by the community for each gender. The tasks vary amid different societies and eras, indicating that femininity has been a prevalent issue in society for decades or centuries.
The social construction of gender theory postulates that both culture and society craft gender roles that are suggested as appropriate or best behaviour for an individual of the specific sex. In society, the gender order tends to be hierarchical, considering that men dominate women based on power and privilege. Culture also facilitates gender identity, which enhances femininity because it is a process of self-recognition and identification, which allows an individual to label him/herself either male or female. This means that culture promotes gendered differentiation which helps those in the femininity side to categorize and define social behaviours they are familiar with. Culture also facilitates the intersection of gender identity with other genders. In society, gender is constructed for females based on their femininity interactions with others, as well as with different identities. Culture allows a woman to interact with other women; thus, their sexual identity gives them the ability to isolate themselves with individuals with similar calibre. The intersection of gender identity with other identities allows females to have sexual desires because they manage to categorize people based on their sexuality. This illustrates that culture plays a significant and vital role in the construction of femininity, especially in a generation where the transition is prevalent.
Major Characteristics Associated with Femininity in Chinese Societies
Over the decades, Chinese societies have had different social roles under different regimes, such as Confucianism and Daoism. Femininity in Chinese societies is characterized by sexual harmony. The Chinese believe that women are determined by beauty and body appearance. The Chinese society associates elements of beauty and cosmetics to the feminine gender because a woman’s beauty is determined by both external and internal dimensions of culture. Outer beauty and inner beauty confine the beauty of a woman according to Chinese society, and this eliminates the aspect of the dichotomy between an individual mind and body. In contemporary China, women are measured by beauty, and their position in society depicts what was happening in ancient society.
Gender inequality is prevalent in Chinese society since ancient times. Women have low bargaining power in society, considering that they are regarded as objects of pleasing men. Femininity in the Chinese community is full of gender inequality because the masculine gender limits the political and social power of women. Women are supposed to use beauty in order to capture the attention of men because cultural norms have given them that role. Gender inequality has undermined the success of femininity because Chinese society has embraced a culture that limits the role of women. Gender inequality limits the capability and ability of women in the society, considering that norms limit their bargaining power because it has been the tradition since ancient times.
In addition, femininity in Chinese societies is characterized by changes in gender roles. In contemporary society, women in Chinese societies have been given the opportunity to engage in roles that were traditionally believed to be of the feminine gender. The change in gender roles amongst in Chinese societies has given femininity a chance to emerge and rise, thus increasing their bargaining power. This has allowed women to increase the influence of feminism in the country, creating a platform for females to promote measures that reflect on their lives and experiences. The changes in gender roles have indeed shaped femininity in Chinese society, considering that it has facilitated the growth of gender identities and roles. As a result, contemporary Chinese femininity ideology has changed despite the society reflecting on traditional norms and values.
Problems that arise from the pursuit of femininities
One of the critical problems associated with the pursuit of femininity is the development of low bargaining power in society. Women are affected by societal norms and traditions, considering that the values undermine their success because their social and political power is limited. Low bargaining power among women limits their ability to initiate change in society. Women have the capabilities and abilities to be change agents, but the community has undermined their influence and power, leaving them with low bargaining power. As a result, their influence on the social platform is limited because femininity is seen as a weaker gender when compared with masculinity.
Another problem that arises while in pursuit of femininity is gender inequality. Since ancient times, gender inequality has been a prevalent problem in society because men and women have conflicting roles, duties, as well as responsibilities stipulated by culture and tradition. The duties and responsibilities of females are confined by societal rules and regulations, considering that society plays a crucial role in moulding gender identities. In traditional and contemporary cultures, femininity has been undermined by the domination of the masculine gender because men are considered to be stronger and powerful than the feminine gender. Gender inequality has limited women’s ability to bring or initiate change in the society, primarily because their duties, and responsibilities are determined by societal norms and traditions that differ from one society to the other.
Oppression of women is another crucial problem associated with the pursuit of femininity. The rise of femininity has triggered the oppression of women in society because the masculine gender has become aware of the emerging trends that have promoted a change in gender roles. To cope up with the situation, masculinity has attempted to undermine these efforts by oppressing women in the society, ensuring that they have limited bargaining power in the community. Increased oppression of women in the society has undermined femininity because they are looked down upon by society based on their weakness. This has undermined femininity efforts and has facilitated the growth and development of gender inequality.
Solutions to Problems
Femininity has managed to give women a low bargaining power in society. This problem can be addressed by enhancing women empowerment and educating them more to increase their awareness of issues regarding femininity. This will assist the women in having the opportunity to increase their capacities to address the various problems or problems that affect them in society. As a result, their bargaining power in society will increase, allowing them to initiate measures and strategies that reflect on their lives and community experiences. Women empowerment is essential in the society considering that it gives the feminine gender an opportunity to initiate change considering that women are seen and recognized to be change agents based on their ability to influence more crowds and populations.
The other problem which relates to gender inequality can be addressed by championing for gender equality. The society can promote gender equality by treating all gender the same. This can be challenging mainly because most communities believe that women are subjects of women because they are seen as objects of satisfaction. Furthermore, most societies fail to give women equal rights with males because traditions and values that are followed since ancient times have undermined the influence and power of women. Gender equality will provide women with the chance to spearhead their grievances, desires, as well as wants in the society, thus increasing their bargaining power.
Educating the society on the significance, benefits, and importance of gender identity and equality can assist the community in addressing the oppression of women. Education is a continuous learning process that will allow people to understand the issues that arise in the community regarding masculinity and femininity. Education is associated with empowerment, illustrating that it will empower women to become what they desire in order to satisfy their wants, needs, as well as desires. Education has been used to increase women empowerment in most societies because it equips females with vital information that assists them to seek for greener pastures. This can reduce the oppression of women in the community, based on the fact that education opens up the mind and gives an individual the cognitive ability to seek for happiness, satisfaction, as well as equality. With education, society can manage to address the problem of oppression of women because they will get empowered to achieve more greatness satisfying their desires and needs.