Why Do We Devalue Femininity? Sophie (student essay) BSN Voices — British School in the Netherlands
About This Post
A student's reflection on how phrases like "you're not like other girls" reveal deep-seated femmephobia that pressures children — especially tweens — to abandon feminine interests and identities in order to be seen as "cool" or "unique."
Key Takeaways
- For parents: "You're not like other girls" is a femmephobic backhanded compliment — it elevates one girl by devaluing all others
- Media consistently portrays feminine characters as shallow antagonists while celebrating tomboy heroines, teaching children that femininity is "dumb"
- Boys face even harsher penalties for feminine expression — a masculine girl is a "tomboy," but a feminine boy is a "demotion"
- The pressure to distance from femininity starts in the tween years and shapes children's sense of identity well into adulthood
Read the Full Post
Why Do We Devalue Femininity? — BSN Voices
###