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Masculinity versus Femininity

Article in Men and Masculinities February 2017

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Flourish Itulua-Abumere
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Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

Itulua-Abumere, Flourish
School of Journalism, Humanities
and Social Sciences
Staffordshire University
Stoke-On-Trent
I022618c@staffs.ac.uk
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

For years society have categorized human figures and

capacities. Popular categorizations such as potency, energy,
power, control, boldness and insensitivity all describe the male
character while caring nature has described a typical traditional
female figure for decades. This been said anyway, does the word
masculinity or femininity sound familiar? Most likely yes as it
has become a popular word use to differentiate a man from a
woman in recent times.
Itulua-Abumere (2013) explained that masculinity consist of
certain behaviors, languages and practices, existing is specific
cultural and organizational locations, which are commonly
associated with males and thus culturally defined as not
feminine (Itulua-Abumere, 2013:42). If this is so, how then do
we define femininity? Femininity is quite the opposite of
masculinity; its attribute is the direct opposite of the description
of masculinity. This is in no means a sign of weakness or
disability. Rather femininity can be described as a set of
features, behaviors and responsibilities normally linked with
girls and women (Dunphy, 2000)
It is important to bear in mind that femininity is a socially
constructed characterization that combines socially, physically
and biologically clear fashioned features. This is one reason why
its definition is clearly different from the definition of biological
female sex since either males or females can show signs of
feminine personality (Ferrante, 2012).
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

Attributes related with femininity diverge depending on location

and background in some situations, and are subjective by a
variety of social and cultural factors. Attributes conventionally
quoted as feminine include kindness, understanding, sympathy
and compassion.

As noticed, there is a clear difference between masculinity and

femininity irrespective of been biologically or socially. How
masculinity and femininity operates and affects our lives is
usually a cause for further investigation. In terms of leadership
roles, there is a significant difference between a masculine
leader and a feminine leader. Below are some of the differences
one can notice in an organizational setting putting in mind that
some women also portray male like characteristics and this
might not always be the case in all leadership roles.
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

Leadership characters
Masculinity Femininity
Decisive Fervent
Tough Bendable
Analytical Insightful
Antagonistic Strategize Ahead
Pompous Devoted
Egotism Realistic
Independent Collaborative
Idiosyncratic Compassionate
Trust Logic Trust Intuition

In terms of culture, exhibiting characteristics not distinctive of

ones gender may be classified as a social problem depending on
the culture and society as cultural experience can differ. From
sociological perspective, this cataloging is identified as gender
assumptions and is part of socialization to meet the customs of
society. Unusual and unacceptable behavior may be measured
indicative of homosexuality, regardless of the fact that gender
appearances, gender personalities and sexual orientations are
extensively acknowledged as distinctive perceptions.
While sexuality is clear in expressions of object choice, male
homosexuality take to mean as effeminacy. Social condemnation
of exercise masculinity may be articulated as Machismo or
Neologisms such as testosterone poisoning (Alda, 1975)
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

The comparative significance of socialization and genetics in the

growth of masculinity is contested. Even though social
habituation is supposedly said to play a role, psychologists and
psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung believed
that features of feminine and masculine identity are in a way that
is influenced by the part of the mind of which one is not fully
aware is present in all human males (Laurie, 2014).

The past spreading out of gender responsibilities is tackled by

behavioral genetics, evolutionary psychology, human
bionetwork, anthropology and sociology. All human mores
appears to support and promote gender roles in writing,
journalism, outfits and song; instances may take account of the
epics of Homer, the Hengist and Horsa tales and the normative
commentaries of Confucius.

Feminist philosophers such as Judith Butler and Simone de

Beauvoir challenge the idea that femininity and masculinity are
shaped in the course of repetitive presentation of gender; these
presentation make a replica and describe the traditional grouping
of sex and or gender (Butler, 1990). Itulua-Abumere (2015) also
mentioned that the feminist philosopher Judith Butler in the
bodies that matters (1993), emphasized on how the female body
is a matter- a material body with a sexual requirement. These
requirements were not replicated to form another although
Butler persist that materiality has a certain verifiable
consequences on the presentation of gender (Butler, 1993 quoted
in Itulua-Abumere, 2015).
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

Masculinity vs Femininity: The masculinity measurement is

used to measure the circulation of roles between genders, a high
MAS score are found in countries where men are predictable to
be tough, to be the provider, to be aggressive and to be
physically powerful. In contrast, a low MAS score specifies that
the countries have modest favoritism and demarcation between
genders.

The key differences between masculine and feminine societies

are the obvious that masculinity challenges, earnings,
recognition and career advancement are important to the
masculine figure. Such societys belief men should be self-
confident, striving and harsh while women are supposedly
tender and tend to take care of relationships. Being responsible,
influential and ambitious is for men; being caring and gentle is
for women. Men take the role as the subject while women are
pressured to be objects. In masculine societies, aggressions by
children are tolerable, people live in other to work, and there is a
lesser portion of women in professional jobs and political
positions.

In feminine societies, relationships and quality of life are very

important, both men and women are expected to be modest, both
men and women can be tender and focus on relationships,
calmness is for women and men, single standard expectations-
both sexes are subjects, children are socialized to be non hostile,
people work in other to live, more women in active professional
and political roles.
Masculinity versus Femininity 2017

References

Abumere, F. I. (2015) BOOK REVIEW of Judith Butler (1993)

Bodies that Matter (Routledge) by Staffordshire University.
Published by research gate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4474.8640

Alda, A. (1975). "What Every Woman Should Know About

Men", Ms., New York

Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion

of identity. New York; Routledge.

Dunphy, R. (2000). Sexual politics: An introduction. Edinburgh

University Press.

Ferrante, J. (2012). Sociology: A global perspective. Nelson

Education

Itulua-Abumere, F. (2013). Understanding Men and Masculinity

in Modern Society. Open Journal of Social Science
Research, 1(2), 42-45.

Laurie, T. (2014). The ethics of nobody I know: gender and the

politics of description. Qualitative Research Journal, 14(1), 64-
78.

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