What does Catholic/Christian femininity mean to you?

[Elena321]

Sexuality is intrinsic to a person. Doing something does not make you one or the other. It is not like a hat you can lose.

The arts and sciences are both human expressions. I do not see any reason why practicing one or the other makes you more masculine or feminine.

Sexual organs and identity is intrinsic in a person.
At the same time though,isn’t it that some people of the same gender are more masculine(or feminine) that others of the same gender?
Eg:while all men are men,a guy who workouts,(an extreme example being Arnold Swarzenneger)has a lot of muscle or walks in a "manly’ way is perceived culturally as more masculine,no?

Some job roles are perceived as more feminine or masculine but that does not mean that a woman shouldn’t become an engineer or a man become a cook-for example.

In my background,not far from Russia,everyone dances but certain types of dancing or “moves” are perceived as feminine and which the women do.

 

[Elena321]

I’ve done all of the above.

I’ve worked in very male dominated fields (EMS and the military), I was a very serious ballet dancer throughout my teen years into my very early twenties, I’ve been a stay at home mom and I’m currently earning a degree in a science related field.

There is no black and white line.
Ballet dancing, for women, is specifically designed to give an overly feminine impression.
In contrast…if you’ve actually watch male ballet dancers…they dance to give an exaggerated masculine impression.
In countries like Russia…male ballet dancers are/were viewed similarly to how we view football players…extremely masculine.

I think it’s interesting that people still think that being a stay at home mother is considered lazy.
I think we see hints of that opinion in the far left liberal view points…but it’s usually shot down if ever made public.
Being a mom has been the hardest job I’ve had so far…and I’ve been through basic training.

I think femininity is expressed best within cultures and countries that have welcomed and embraced Christianity as a whole. True Christians understand what being a female is…whether she works, is a mom, is married or single or any combination of these examples.
This is why I believe places like China don’t understand what it means to be feminine.
I would never want to live in a country that squashes motherhood and physically limits family size to either one or two children and that places such an emphasis on having only sons.

Great post.
I think Chinese do value feminity generallyin women but their one/two child policy is abhorrent.

 

[Elena321]

I guess a distinction also needs to be made between femininity versus womens rights.
For example,some countries/cultures may welcome and value feminity as character expression quality but they can have terrible womens rights.

 

[mommy_k]

To me-it’s bringing the positive qualities of being a woman to everything you do-no matter what it is.

I think of the Blessed Mother and try to emulate that. Every country, culture and so on that knows and studies Her will agree.

In addition, this has nothing to do with being a Catholic, and it’s superficial, but- for me it’s also looking like a woman, and embracing who you were created to be, as an additional expression of femininity. (In some cases aside from work, kwim?)

 

[Mintaka]

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but Dr. Alice von Hildebrand did a free talk in 2013 for the Institute of Catholic Culture on “Mulieris Dignitatem: Radical Feminism & the Restoration of the Dignity and Vocation of Women.” She’s a pretty famous Catholic and philosopher, so folks might be interested in checking it out.

(She also did a talk on marriage just the other week, so check that out on the Institute’s website, too.)

Don’t be intimidated because she’s a philosopher. She had herself introduced as “Dr. von Hildebrand was born in Belgium in 1923, and she’s not dead yet.” Then she said she was fully qualified to give a talk on women, “because I’ve been one for a long time, and I’m used to it.”