The world is based on the very existence of males and females. They are the source of the creation. They are biologically different, however. Their socially constructed gender roles are often interchanged with their biological roles. When these socially constructed roles and traits start affecting the male, female, and society as a whole in a harmful way, it becomes toxic and from there the concept of toxic masculinity and femininity emerges.
Toxic masculinity has always been the topic of discussion. The concept of toxic masculinity can be defined as the process of exaggerating masculine traits such as violence, non-expressive, dominant, and aggressive which can be harmful to society.
Toxic feminity is a term that has not been explored a lot. Let’s discuss and learn about toxic femininity.
Article contents
What is Toxic Femininity?
Before talking about toxic femininity, it is important to understand the meaning of toxic and femininity. Toxic means something bad, venomous, and harmful which can affect their surrounding. Toxic femininity is the negative aspect of feminine traits that can be harmful to society.
Toxic femininity definition is not precise since it is a broad term and has not been defined anywhere or by anyone in a clear manner. However, “toxic femininity” can be understood as the feminine traits which are constructed in an unreal manner by a society that can affect women and others around them physically and mentally. It arises from the stereotypical setup which has a list of certain qualities that an ‘ideal woman’ must possess.
For example, biologically, only the female can give birth to a new life but nurturing and caring for a baby can be done by both the sexes as against the socially constructed gender roles which define caring and nurturing as feminine traits. It becomes toxic when a woman or any other person starts believing that these traits are part of a woman’s life and their body and starts putting pressure on others to fit in that role.
Toxic femininity is the act when a woman uses their womanhood for gaining certain immoral benefits. It is present in our society ever since the difference between the male and female based on their gender roles has been specified. False rape cases and false domestic violence cases express the level of toxic femininity that exists in our society. The toxicity is not associated with the male and female as a whole, here we are not talking about toxic men or women but certain qualities and traits which became toxic over some time.
It is present everywhere in our surroundings it just needs the identifying weapon to recognize it. Toxic femininity meaning is based on a vague concept but it can be defined as an unhealthy or harmful expression of femininity.
Women often talk about equality between men and women but while traveling in the metro they expect that men should give their seat to her even if he is elder or aged and this is where toxic femininity lies in.
Is toxic femininity a thing?
The discussion around toxic masculinity is present in every platform of all the spheres of the globe but “toxic femininity” is not discussed in a broader form and the reason lies in our history which does not give enough space to the woman.
The question that arises in the minds of many people are “is toxic femininity a thing” or “is toxic femininity real” and the answer is yes, toxic femininity is real and it does exist in the surrounding. There is nothing “toxic” about “femininity” but certain feminine qualities are toxic. It can also be defined or viewed as the traditional feminine behavior of silently accepting violence, insults, and dominance to survive. It is deeply rooted in patriarchy which declares that an “ideal woman” should be pleasing to men, should be able to keep the family happy while ignoring her mental health, should be soft-spoken, and not vocal about her sexual preferences and desires.
This deep-rooted patriarchal setup which portrays men in the authoritative position and females as the submissive to men is the sole reason for this toxicity. The years of oppression made women the perpetrators of this system and on the other hand, it makes them full of hate towards their counterparts and this arouses toxicity.
Toxic femininity meaning prevails in itself, it talks about the toxicity of feminine characteristics. Toxic femininity as discussed already arouses from the patriarchal system and it can be viewed in two ways, one when women become the perpetrators of oppression, submission, and mean towards other women, and second when women use their femininity against men to gain certain advantages.
When women use their feminine characteristics to oppress or subjugate other women, they represent toxic femininity in the workplace, home, and public sphere. For instance, mothers-in-law use their manipulative tactics to control the daughter-in-law or when the mother uses the weapon of patriarchy to control her daughter’s life by schooling her over the “ideal woman” topic. When women at the workplace gossip about the dressing sense, lifestyle, and character of another woman.
When women use their sexual appearances for making men do what they want or when they put false accusations of rape or domestic violence on men or when they harm men both physically and mentally and don’t feel guilty about it because of the patriarchal thinking which makes them believe that men are strong and they don’t get hurt easily represent the second kind of toxic femininity.
So, toxic femininity is a real thing and it does exist and breathe in society.
Toxic Femininity Examples:
Toxic femininity breathes within society. It is present everywhere starting from home to the workplace. The instances of toxic femininity are: -
1. Toxic femininity can be identified at home when mothers start controlling the lives of their children under the mask of care and love.
2. When your wife or girlfriend is nagging and being overdramatic about things and expects you to be gentle enough to understand her being a “man”.
3. When women use their womanliness for gaining certain benefits at home and in the workplace.
4. When women put false rape accusations on a man because he refused her something, rejects her or breaks up with her.
5. When women put false domestic violence and dowry accusations on her husband and her in-laws.
6. When a woman degrades another woman for satisfying her ego and showing herself cool and attractive in front of others.
7. When women bully and gossip about other women’s character, dressing sense, lifestyle, and questions about their femininity, it represents toxic femininity.
8. Toxic femininity in the workplace can be witnessed when women and girls use menstruation as a fake excuse for not doing physical activity.
9. Toxic femininity can be encounter when women behave toxically with their counterparts and people around them with a fake excuse of menstrual cramps and mood swings.
10. Toxic femininity can be witnessed when a woman is looked down upon for not longing for having a baby and getting married.
11. Toxic femininity is represented when a woman is being told by her mother to silently accept and tolerate the violence as it is the nature of men to be violent and women should have endurance because it is part of her life.
12. When a woman uses men as the money-making machine.
13. The patriarchal idea of acting naïve, dumb and week for attracting men.
Toxic femininity is as real as toxic masculinity and yes, it is a thing that does exist in society. The root cause of this toxicity is the patriarchal setup which creates a huge difference between male and female and set guidelines for “ideal women” and “ideal men”.
If the discussions and debates around equality of men and women are so prevalent then equality should be in every sphere irrespective of its positive and negative side. If toxic masculinity is everywhere around the media, then toxic femininity should also be given due “importance” and should be talked about for making a change and bringing equality in society in a real sense.
