S. Brownmiller while studying and researching about Femininity, has
ideas that are both modern and outdated. For the most part I agree
with them, only because her thoughts coincide with how society views
women today. Some of the thoughts she states only deal with
society’s views of woman in the past and present. But there is more
to being feminine than just how society views it, I think she should
look at how the XX chromosome is the only thing that determines
whether or not you are feminine and how there’s a difference
between being feminine and looking/acting feminine. Just because
someone doesn’t look like a woman or sound like a woman doesn’t
mean they aren’t a woman.
I can recall way back in second grade, my class had a lady that came
in and would bring us individually out into the hall to have us read to
her. I still have a vivid image of this lady in my head even though it
was from so long ago. The only reason why I can remember her is
because she had a mustache. Women in today’s society are frowned
upon if they have any facial hair. This lady didn’t care, or she had
really bad eyesight so she couldn’t see herself in the mirror. Just
because she had a mustache does not make her any less of a
woman, nor does it make her any less female.
” I don’t think that men are more or less straightforward than woman.
They shouldn’t have to make any compromise to be a woman. In
society today as far as I know from experience, I don’t think that there
is a specified or obligated “mother’s helper. Yes she must be
enormous and a lot bigger than the average man and woman, but just
because she is stronger than the normal person does not mean she
should be thought as less of a woman. One of the worlds top
bodybuilders is a female and she can bench press over 800 pounds.
She also states that “femininity operates as a value system of
niceness, a code of thoughtfulness and sensitivity. These women
have to play both roles.
Brownmiller states in one of her paragraphs that she had a game
called “set the table. Most women like to wear make up which is
thought to be feminine, but the truth is they were born into femininity
and shall remain feminine unless they decide to take steps to change
that. Now, woman almost have to have a job to get anywhere in this
world. She is talking about when she was a little girl but since then
things have changed. I know a lot of woman that like to be more open
and tell it how it is. Everyone helps out their fair share. Sure people
can alter their bodies and characteristics to seem more feminine but
underneath it all it is the chromosomes that determine if you’re
feminine or not. Woman aren’t the only ones buying make up, men do
also now a days.
– dr. navraj singh sandhu