Effeminacy
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Effeminacy is a trait in males that generally contradicts traditional male (masculine) gender roles. It is a term frequently applied to femininity; or womanly behaviour, demeanour, and appearance displayed by a man. Generally, the description is applied to individuals, but may be used to describe entire societies as an inflammatory allegation. Although in the Western tradition, as described below, effeminacy has often been considered a vice, indicative of other negative character traits and often involving a pejorative insinuation of homosexual tendencies, in other societies men who do not conform to male gender roles may have a special social function, as is the case of Two-Spirits in some Native American groups. Furthermore, in contemporary culture, effeminacy has come to be seen by some to be simply one characteristic or trait which might be a part of a particular person's "gender role", and in this sense would not be considered a vice or indicative of any other characteristics. An effeminate man is similar to a Fop or a Dandy, though these tend to be archaic identities that are taken on by the individual rather than insulting labels.
See also
- Homosexuality
- Masculinity
- Butch and femme
- Genderqueer
- Androgyne
- Bishōnen
- Ritualism
- Ergi
- Classical definition of effeminacy
- Asexuality
- Sissy
- Metrosexual
