A Study of Defeminization
A Study of Defeminization
A thought stuck me recently that has turned into fascination, curiosity, and eventually concern.
There is no official feminine version of the word "emasculation." The word "defeminization" is the current unofficial placeholder for the feminine equivalent of emasculation, but is not currently recognized as a real word. I don't know about you but I found this shocking.
As you probably know, to emasculate a man means simply to reduce a man's self-confidence, harm his self-image, or in general reduce his personal empowerment by making him feel less masculine.
With this in mind, I've been asking myself why there isn't a commonly used word to describe a woman experiencing the same harm from something making her feel less empowered in her femininity.
I don't believe men feeling appropriately empowered in their masculinity is a "power-trip" or another equally negative element. I believe that masculinity is an essential and healthy ingredient (and not the only ingredient) to a man's persona. !(Not to mean that some men don't misuse, misappropriate or misunderstand masculinity to harmful effect.)!
In the same way I believe that femininity is an essential and healthy ingredient (and not the only ingredient) to a woman's persona.
My question is this: If men can be emasculated to harmful effect, can't women also be defeminized to equally harmful effect?
I have begun a study into this matter, with the intention to learn, increase mutual understanding, share findings, and potentially/hopefully help educate others and find ways to speak into this seemingly invisible issue.
I, and a few others interested in this study have created a survey for women to anonymously share their opinions on this matter, and share experiences or environments that have defeminized themselves or other women.
Please consider participating in the survey below and if this is a topic you care about please share this survey with other women in your life.
Our ultimate goal is to determine if women experience negative effects specifically by being made to feel less feminine, and to find ways to speak into that issue depending on our findings.
Again, the key purpose in this study is to seek understanding and give support, so if you want to respond, please respond with equal interest in grace and care for others.
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