Femmephobia - The Good Men Project

About This Post

A wide-ranging exploration of how femmephobia — the devaluation of all things feminine — shapes the lives of men and society at large, from restrictive clothing norms and gendered marketing to the conflation of femininity with homosexuality, transness, and weakness. Part of a book-in-progress.

Key Takeaways

• For parents: A masculine girl is a "tomboy" (tolerated); a feminine boy is a "sissy" (bullied) — illustrating the asymmetry of femmephobia in childhood
• Programs encourage girls into STEM, but there is no equivalent effort to encourage boys into dance, art, or the humanities
• Femmephobia drives absurd gendered marketing — products must be rebranded "FOR MEN" to make everyday items like soup or conditioner acceptable for male consumers
• Hegemonic masculinity defines itself primarily by what it is not — feminine — which has violent consequences for gay men, trans women, and anyone who transgresses gender norms

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Femmephobia — The Good Men Project

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