tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post7457447480322008734..comments2024-01-19T04:02:26.138-05:00Comments on Love Letters In Hell: Performing FemininityAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00040966100796641603noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post-12770913035210441872011-03-17T09:56:16.342-04:002011-03-17T09:56:16.342-04:00I wonder whether women are more conscious of perfo...I wonder whether women are more conscious of performing femininity because femininity is somehow 'other', set up in opposition to a masculine mainstream? What I mean by this is that although you mentioned at the end of your blog the possibility of men performing masculinity, in the main they do not, because whether they put on casual, professional, party or sporting clothes, they always wear some variation on pants, which have gone from being overtly masculine (in the days when society did not permit women to wear pants) to mainstream (now women can wear them too).<br /><br />If this is the case then I wonder whether we may in some sense have diminished our own gender by campaigning for and then using the right to wear pants?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post-14014878310968643512010-11-22T14:21:33.565-05:002010-11-22T14:21:33.565-05:00I think that if you're doing it because you li...I think that if you're doing it because you like it, then it's not performing, it's just you. When I perform masculinity, as a fey gay trans man, it's mostly to not stand out so I don't get beat up, but it's not my authentic self. Also my "performance" is more about mannerisms than clothing, since I don't wear women's clothes. So I'm thinking, do you consider innate mannerisms that are considered feminine (ie. giggling, eyelash batting, coyness, submissiveness, and softness) to be performance? And if so, do you change those depending on how you want to be seen?Kiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post-23291387640929174882010-11-22T08:44:47.139-05:002010-11-22T08:44:47.139-05:00Don't you think there's also a tendency am...Don't you think there's also a tendency among women - missing among men - to use clothes to diminish femininity? For example, many large chested women I know are preoccupied with dressing to conceal their bust because they worry that so-called neutral clothes would actually appear overly feminine (or even "slutty") because of how these busty women naturally fill them out. Equally, extremely slight and petite women may deliberately dress in more conservative clothes with heels in order to look taller, older, and more domineering in order to be taken seriously at work. Ironically, these women might wear heels and suits in order to increase their size, and thus, in a way, their masculinity. My point is that yes, women use clothes to play up their femininity, but they also use them to play down their femininity in order to appear more modest, mature, professional, respectable (read: more "masculine"). <br /><br />Now, as a flat-chested, straight-bodied, thin-haired woman, I purposefully dress in feminine clothes to make sure that I can be identified as a woman and to feel like a woman. But if my body were overly feminine, as the examples given above, I might be inclined to downplay instead of play up my femininity through clothing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post-29357955794563232412010-11-21T21:44:59.721-05:002010-11-21T21:44:59.721-05:00I've been thinking about this a lot, recently....I've been thinking about this a lot, recently. I usually dress in clothes that are cut for female bodies, but are less gendered, more neutral. But I enjoy dressing in very feminine clothes (dresses with stockings and, on occasion, heels) on some days and more masculine clothes on others (I don't think I pass for a boy, but often wear men's dress shirts, jackets and ties). I've noticed that on days when I wear dresses or men's clothes I feel like I'm in drag; even in dresses, and I'm a biological female. I'm not sure what to make of this, except that I'm becoming more aware of the pervasiveness of gender performity... but I definitely connected with this post.<br />It was exceedingly interesting and rather comforting to read. Thanks so much for sharing!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326863927340093937.post-77935944825606049652010-11-20T22:30:31.833-05:002010-11-20T22:30:31.833-05:00I'm very uncomfortable in overly feminine clot...I'm very uncomfortable in overly feminine clothing. I don't think I'm treated as an equal when I wear low cut shirts, high heels, etc. My entire wardrobe is basically gender neutral. I wear clothing that is nicely cut/ semi-professional on a daily basis (like blouses, blazers, sweaters and corduroys,) but I wouldn't consider any item particularly feminine. I often feel like this behavior is wrong, and that I should WANT to wear more feminine clothing, but in all honesty, I just don't. I guess it also really bothers me that revealing/tight clothing styles are what society equates with femininity.Kelly E.noreply@blogger.com