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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Does anyone feel less inclined these days to wear makeup and skirts or dresses due to the focus on femininity as what defines woman?

158 replies

Quietlyhere · 11/07/2023 21:57

This is something I've noticed in myself. Never wore a lot of makeup but now, in an age of celebrating drag queens everywhere and defining women as those who are feminine, I am much more likely to be found in comfy trousers and t-shirts/jumpers, and no makeup. Still very much a woman.

Of course I'm not saying women should change, everyone should wear what they like as long as certain body parts are sufficiently covered up. Just an observation of my own choices shifting in this climate.

OP posts:
RebelliousCow · 13/07/2023 08:56

i'm also very rebellious.....

Floisme · 13/07/2023 09:51

Just to add, as it happens my style isn't particularly feminine at the moment. I've not worn a dress for several years and I rarely wear make up. But I've certainly done so in the past and I'll do it again in the future if it takes my fancy. I enjoy getting dressed and playing around with how I look enormously.

TheirEminence · 13/07/2023 09:58

Myself, I’m a bit of a chameleon but with a recognisable personal style. I’m not above dressing a certain way if it makes it more likely I can get what I want. There are things that are more important than authentic self-expression, IMHO.

helpfulperson · 13/07/2023 10:15

The one on the right is how many women looked in the 80's particularly on a night out.

Thatgirl1981 · 15/07/2023 21:26

You can be feminine with out make up

drag queens with it shovelled on don’t like femnine

FuckNuggets · 15/07/2023 21:47

TheirEminence · 12/07/2023 06:46

I understand where you are coming from, OP, and when I first became aware of gender identity ideology and its assumptions about femininity, I also reassessed my personal style, perhaps, in a way, to show that clothing and make-up are superficial and irrelevant to what we are.

However, over the years, I have turned this around a bit because people around us do react to how we dress, and it gives us an opportunity to learn something about them and to influence how we are perceived. It’s not about you, it’s about the others. Dressing well and dressing to convey subtle messages is a real skill and if you are good at it, why not use it to your advantage?

It’s interesting to me how TRAs often comment negatively on women who dress in what they regard as ‘unfeminine’ ways. (Example: Munroe Bergdorf’s comment on ‘hairy lesbians’ IIRC.) Somebody also once said that one of the reasons why Posie Parker gets them so angry is her feminine personal style which comes across as effortless.

I have also observed subtle changes in teenage fashion that to me seem to be a bit of a push-back against the ultra-feminine, artificial look - wide cargo pants, little make-up, crop tops, showing off natural female body shapes that are extremely hard to emulate by those who are not female. Imagine Eddie Izzard in brown cargo pants and a simple white cotton crop top and you will know what I mean.

Isn't the wide cargo pants and crop tops just the 90s/00s being back in fashion? My youngest DD has thoroughly embraced this look recently, and it's a look I favoured in my late teens/early 20s.

Missproportionate · 16/07/2023 11:15

I always have this clip from The Devil Wears Prada in my head when I’m having discussions like this… there’s no escape! None of us are dressing ‘for ourselves’ in a vacuum - we’re all either subscribing to or deliberately deciding not to subscribe to the current zeitgeist. The trouble is that the drag style has become part of that zeitgeist….?

Eyebrows and pumped up lips and false eyelashes… (god - look at the Apprentice for example)

as a young woman I used to step back from wearing extravagant or eye catching outfits to draw attention. Couldn’t care less now - I have coloured hair, wear metallics and bright colours, try to buy what I like - but I’m aware I’m always influenced - and I do look like what I am (middle aged arty leftie white woman)

Devil Wears Prada - Cerulean Top

Devil Wears Prada - Cerulean top smackdown

https://youtu.be/vL-KQij0I8I

TheirEminence · 16/07/2023 11:50

Thanks for posting this clip! I love Meryl Streep in that film, and what she says is spot on.

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