#hyperfeminity

I love being Spanish

I love being catholic

I love being hyperfeminine

I love being traditional

comments like “(x) tried to get me to wear a dress, like that would ever happen” or “I don’t understand how they (another woman) can wear so much makeup” and other comments similar have never sat right with me because of the implications they have.  The implication being because they (the character) doesn’t participate in feminine things such as wearing makeup or dresses is in some way better or more desirable than the women who do.  But at the same time this also alienates women who participate in masculinity.

Typically these characters are just feminine enough to remind the audience they’re women and make them desirable, but just masculine enough to be different and worthy of being idolized.  Because masculine women don’t retain the femininity these women in media display (not saying they can’t be feminine just saying their femininity isn’t represented in the media we consume) we often make fun of them for being hyper masculine.

But this also affects gender non conforming women, as they have been so romanticized and idealized when they aren’t able to meet the expectations our media has set up for them they’re scrutinized and attacked.  Creating an endless cycle nobody can truly win.