The Obligation To Look "Feminine"

 

I stumbled upon this on a website I sometimes visit. My reason for doing that is that I often find notes, questions or statements that are of interest and which make me browse a subject. In the above statement I see a woman who is tired of all the bullshit that all too often is heaped upon women by men. They try to pass it off as some kind of scientific or historical facts which it is not. Another reason why I like what "Farida D." writes is that it reminds me of the old concept of a "sisterly solidarity" that once was an ideal for feminists. Actually, it's something I think we should revive in this time of manifold kinds of backlashes ....

I suspect that many women nowadays feel obliged to signal femininity in the old-fashioned manner: Full make-up, tight dresses, high heels, etc. which turns them into over-sexualized Patriarchy-victims. Ideals of femininity that rob women of bodily strength, the right to exhibit a strong personality, etc. without being ostracized by society is a trap. To me it's obvious from what I read on various websites that many women are battling their feelings of being kept in a role that has been outdated for several decades. They don't want to appear "manly", but on the other hand, neither do they want to lose the freedom to be what - and who - they are.