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Wikipedia Project Draft

The Current Climate of Discussion around Femme and Female Femininity

The rise in visibility of the masculine-androgynous queer individual has seen a resurgence of Jack Halberstam’s theory of female masculinity. Discussions around Femme identities turn on the prominent visibility of queer masculinity, the historically negative view of Femme and Butch, and an emergence of Femme identities outside of the lesbian community. This conversation has centered on feminist sexism in scholarly feminist communities, but are important in the fields of feminist theory, gender theory, and queer theory. Ulrika Dahl’s “Sexism: a Femme-inist Perspective” highlights the critical view of Femme from scholar Marilyn Frye. Dahl states, “Frye seems to consider femininity itself a patriarchal construct [by stating] 'the details of feminine manners and postures also serve to bind and restrict. To be feminine is to take up little space, to defer to others, to be silent or affirming of others, etc.’”

Halberstam, in an interview prior to his transition, discusses what his discourse on female masculinities means for female femininities or Femme identities. He notes that a question sometimes raised in reaction to his work is “whether you can valorize female masculinities without at the same time limiting the scope and appeal of female femininities.” Female masculinity is often seen as performative but Femme presentation performed by female bodied individuals is still seen as natural.