Femboy

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A femboy Cavi.jpg
A femboy

Femboy ( /ˈfɛmbɔɪ/ ⓘ ), also spelled femboi, is a slang term for a male or non-binary individual who expresses themselves with traditionally feminine behaviours. As an internet aesthetic, this may be through the use of jewellery, wearing feminine clothing and makeup, or expressing feminine behavioural qualities. Femboy can be used as both a sexual and non-sexual term; it does not denote a specific sexual orientation or gender role but instead marks a form of gender variance.

Contents

The term originated in the 1990s. It has since been popularised through internet forums and social media like TikTok, where trends such as "#femboyfriday" have received attention in the media. In gender studies, the term has been used as an identifier for transgender individuals; in porn studies, the term has been seen as an identifier for a submissive role in intercourse and as exhibiting elements of sexual fantasy.

Usage

Etymology

The term femboy originated in the 1990s and is a compound from the words fem (an abbreviation of feminine and femme) and boy. [1] [2] The variant femboi uses the LGBT term boi. [1] By 2000, the term boi had come to denote "a young, attractive gay man". [3]

Definitions

Femboy refers to a male or non-binary person using aesthetically and culturally female elements to express a more feminine side of the traditional male appearance; [4] [5] Collins English Dictionary defines femboy as "a male whose appearance and behavioural traits are regarded as conventionally feminine". [6] According to Dictionary.com , the variant femboi may refer to "softer" individuals, such as young trans men or butch lesbians. [1] Originally, the term was used as a pejorative against non-masculine men but has since been reappropriated, [4] although it may still be used as a slur against trans women. [5] Femboy is a term of gender expression and does not define the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual. [5]

Along with terms like sissy, femboy is not used in a purely pornographic sense—it may be used to refer to a male involved in non-sexual cross-dressing or transvestic fetishism. [7] The label femboy is used on platforms such as Tumblr to signify a gay sex role similar to that of a female in Western culture; it is related to terms such as boywife and pussyboy in its usage to denote "self-identified effeminate androphilic males who exclusively seek to be penetrated by dominant, masculine men". Richard Vytniorgu argues that this sort of label "enables these bloggers to join together their sex-object choice and sex role in a form of subjectivity that others can identify with" and sees individuals using these labels as sharing a "bottom identity" with non-Western homosexuals. [8] Femboys have been fetishised, and femboy groups have been seen to be exclusionary in who they allow to participate, forming in-groups and out-groups. [9]

Attributes

A 2022 analysis of the most followed male creators on TikTok identified the presence of typically feminine attributes, such as the use of hair dye and jewellery, as popular. The paper found that the platform's top creators were "quite homogeneous; [...] almost exclusively white, toned, and young, with perfect or near perfect facial symmetry and considerable bodily adornment", stating that the male creators saw the divergence as a way to differentiate them from the labels of effeminate or gay. [10]

A femboy may engage in cross-dressing [7] —garments associated with the femboy aesthetic include skirts, dresses, and knee-high socks. [4] [11] Jules Joanne Gleeson identifies 4chan femboys as "often but not always assisted by HRT"; the idealisation of a feminine form with a flat chest leads to some attempting gender transition with treatments such as bicalutamide. The element of youth associated with femboys has raised questions over the longevity of femboy status; in relation to male-to-female transgender people identifying as femboys, being a femboy can be a way to avoid the medical difficulties of transition. Gleeson also proposes the existence of the femboy as a method to escape both internal and external transphobia, alongside "the unique stigma" experienced by transgender women. She sees the femboy as a "self-made effeminate phenomenon" opposing traditional medical practice surrounding gender transition and as an example of "the erratic state of contemporary gender relations". [12]

Femboy is similar to the term shemale in that they both refer to individuals exhibiting masculinity and femininity simultaneously; they express femininity in a dainty manner without the presence of elements of the sexualised female body, such as large breasts. Emerald Vaught sees femboys as encompassing both effeminate cisgender men and, despite this lack of corporeal femininity, bottoming transgender women. In pornography, she sees the femboy as sharing the idea of a "youthful appearance" with twinks and as "represent[ing] an element of sexual fantasy" of transgender femininity. [7]

Presence

A proposed femboy pride flag Femboy flag.svg
A proposed femboy pride flag

Femboy culture began to take shape in the United States in the 1990s. After the term was appropriated on the Internet, femboy communities began to form. Around 2018, the term femboy was found almost exclusively on 4chan, especially on the /lgbt/ forum. It later became popular on platforms such as Reddit and TikTok. [12] [4] Reddit has hosted both sexual and non-sexual femboy content. r/feminineboys was started in 2012 and had 258,000 members by April 2024; the site also contains the pornographic community r/FemBoys. [9] [13] TikTok has been said to be a safe space in allowing freedom of gender expression. [14] The femboy aesthetic has been compared with figures in popular culture such as Harry Styles; [10] viral trends such as "#FemboyFriday" and memes such as "Femboy Hooters" have helped to popularise the aesthetic. [4] [13] An unofficial femboy pride flag exists, which uses seven horizontal stripes with the colours pink, light pink, white, and light blue. These represent the feminine aesthetic, feminine behaviour, non-binary identities, and masculinity, respectively. [15]

According to Aye Lei Tun, femboy culture was present in Myanmar's Spring Revolution, protesting against the ruling military junta imposed after the 2021 coup d'état. In the protests, femboy outfits were used to gain exposure, with gender-nonconforming outfits being worn by non-femboy protestors. Tun sees the introduction of femboy culture, which was previously unfamiliar to Myanmar, as a tactic to lead towards a "social and cultural ideological revolution". [16] A 2021 publication by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute described femboy activity against the junta as causing "subversion of its assertion of rule", drawing comparison to opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War and the anti-war "make love, not war" slogan. [17]

Reception

The femboy aesthetic has been praised for "breaking traditional norms of masculinity" and seen as demonstrating that "oppressive gender norms are slowly breaking down" [4] [14] —on TikTok, the aesthetic has enjoyed popularity, although creators of femboy-style posts may receive homophobic comments and violent threats. [14]

Critics have seen femboys as perpetuating male dominance and disregarding existing discourse on gender identity. [10] [18] An article by Marissa Lee in Mission criticised straight femboys for "claim[ing] responsibility for breaking such boundaries" and "do[ing] next to nothing for the conversation surrounding gender fluidity. If anything, [the existence of femboys] emphasises the all-encompassing maleness." [18] The "femboy aesthetic" of the most popular content creators on TikTok has been called "reenforc[ing] extant patterns of gender inequality" due to its masculine 'boundary breaks' relying on the sexualisation of women: [10]

When and if men cross gender boundaries [...], they do so while alluding to masculinities' hegemonic qualities, pairing their behaviours with lyrics and physical gestures that sexualize women and re-assert men's virility, bravado, and strength as a form of heterosexual recuperation.

The alt-right have deemed the emergence of the femboy a result of the LGBT chemicals conspiracy theory, alongside "the existence of gender-morphing frogs"; figures such as Guillaume Faye have called the "effeminisation" of society an example of European societal decay. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

Sissy, also sissy baby, sissy boy, sissy man, sissy pants, etc., is a pejorative term for a boy or man who does not demonstrate masculine traits, and shows possible signs of fragility. Generally, sissy implies a lack of courage, strength, athleticism, coordination, testosterone, male libido, and stoicism. A man might also be considered a sissy for being interested in typically feminine hobbies or employment, displaying effeminate behavior, being unathletic or being homosexual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomboy</span> A girl who behaves in a manner considered typical of boys

Tomboy is a term used for girls or young women with masculine traits. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and engaging in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men.

<i>Butch</i> and <i>femme</i> Masculine and feminine identities in lesbians

Butch and femme are masculine (butch) or feminine (femme) identities in the lesbian subculture which have associated traits, behaviors, styles, self-perception, and so on. This concept has been called a "way to organize sexual relationships and gender and sexual identity". Butch–femme culture is not the sole form of a lesbian dyadic system, as there are many women in butch–butch and femme–femme relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masculinity</span> Attributes associated with men

Masculinity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors considered masculine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. To what extent masculinity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate. It is distinct from the definition of the biological male sex, as anyone can exhibit masculine traits. Standards of masculinity vary across different cultures and historical periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femininity</span> Attributes associated with women

Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered feminine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. To what extent femininity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate. It is conceptually distinct from both the female biological sex and from womanhood, as all humans can exhibit feminine and masculine traits, regardless of sex and gender.

Femme is a term traditionally used to describe a lesbian woman who exhibits a feminine identity or gender presentation. While commonly viewed as a lesbian term, alternate meanings of the word also exist with some non-lesbian individuals using the word, notably some gay men and bisexuals. Some non-binary and transgender individuals also identify as lesbians using this term.

LGBT slang, LGBT speak, queer slang, or gay slang is a set of English slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBTQ+ people. It has been used in various languages since the early 20th century as a means by which members of the LGBTQ+ community identify themselves and speak in code with brevity and speed to others. The acronym LGBT was popularized in the 1990s and stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. To recognize this inclusion, a popular variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity.

Effeminacy or male femininity is the embodiment of feminine traits in boys or men, particularly those considered untypical of men or masculinity. These traits include roles, stereotypes, behaviors, and appearances that are socially associated with girls and women. Throughout history, men considered effeminate have faced prejudice and discrimination. Gay men are often stereotyped as being effeminate, and vice versa. However, femininity, masculinity, and other forms of gender expression are independent of sexual orientation.

Gender expression, or gender presentation, is a person's behavior, mannerisms, and appearance that are socially associated with gender, namely femininity or masculinity. Gender expression can also be defined as the external manifestation of one's gender identity through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice, or body characteristics. Typically, a person's gender expression is thought of in terms of masculinity and femininity, but an individual's gender expression may incorporate both feminine and masculine traits, or neither. A person's gender expression may or may not match their assigned sex at birth. This includes gender roles, and accordingly relies on cultural stereotypes about gender. It is distinct from gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT stereotypes</span> Stereotypes around LGBTQ people and communities

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<i>Dude, Youre a Fag</i> 2007 book by C. J. Pascoe

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Gender roles in non-heterosexual communities are a topic of much debate; some people believe traditional, heterosexual gender roles are often erroneously enforced on non-heterosexual relationships by means of heteronormative culture and attitudes towards these non-conformative relationships.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What Is A "Femboy"?". Dictionary.com. 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Fem". Collins English Dictionary. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Urquhart, Evan (21 October 2020). "Mad About the Boi". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Patston, Manning (29 July 2022). "Femboy is the TikTok trend shaking up gender norms". Happy Mag. Archived from the original on 24 March 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Cristalli, Beatrice (7 January 2021). "Parlare della fluidità di genere" [Talking about gender fluidity]. Treccani (in Italian). Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "Femboy". Collins English Dictionary. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Vaught, Emerald (6 July 2023). "Saturated femininities: trans women in porn beyond the shemale" . Taylor & Francis Online (published 12 December 2023): 11. doi:10.1080/23268743.2023.2267603. ISSN   2326-8743. S2CID   266298941.
  8. ↑ Vytniorgu, Richard (24 August 2023). "Effeminate Gay Bottoms in the West: Narratives of Pussyboys and Boiwives on Tumblr". Journal of Homosexuality. 70 (10): 2124. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2022.2048167 . hdl: 10871/129588 . ISSN   0091-8369. PMID   35285776.
  9. 1 2 En, Boka; En, Michael; Griffiths, David (8 August 2013). "Gay Stuff and Guy Stuff: The Construction of Sexual Identities in Sidebars on Reddit". Networking Knowledge: Journal of the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network. 6 (1): 11. doi: 10.31165/nk.2013.61.293 . ISSN   1755-9944.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Foster, Jordan; Baker, Jayne (July 2022). "Muscles, Makeup, and Femboys: Analyzing TikTok's "Radical" Masculinities". Social Media + Society. 8 (3). doi: 10.1177/20563051221126040 . ISSN   2056-3051.
  11. ↑ Cidral, Mariáh (15 September 2020). "Femboys: o Movimento Que Vai das Semanas de Moda ao TikTok" [Femboys: the Movement That Goes From Fashion Weeks to TikTok]. FFW (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  12. 1 2 Gleeson, Jules Joannne (3 February 2018). "An Anatomy of the Soy Boy". New Socialist. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  13. 1 2 Hills, Megan C. (14 September 2020). "Why #FemboyFriday is more than just a trend". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 Ran, Dani (13 August 2020). "Introducing the 'Femboys' Taking TikTok By Storm". Vice . Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  15. ↑ (anonymous) (25 June 2022). "All about the Femboy Pride Flag". Queerty . Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Tun, Aye Lei (June 2023). "Deconstructing and Reinforcing Gender Norms and Cultural Taboos in Myanmar's Spring Revolution". Journal of Burma Studies. 27 (1): 39, 48–49. doi:10.1353/jbs.2023.0001. ISSN   2010-314X. S2CID   258307859.
  17. ↑ Jordt, Ingrid; Than, Tharaphi; Ye Lin, Sue (2021). How Generation Z Galvanized a Revolutionary Movement Against Myanmar's 2021 Military Coup (PDF). Trends in Southeast Asia. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. pp. 14–15.
  18. 1 2 Lee, Marissa. "The Gender-Fluid Femboy Phenomenon: What it All Means". Mission. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  19. ↑ del Campo, Felix (July 2023). "New Culture Wars: Tradwives, Bodybuilders and the Neoliberalism of the Far-Right". Critical Sociology. 49 (4–5): 689–706. doi: 10.1177/08969205221109169 . ISSN   0896-9205.
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