Femme is an identity used by women (including trans women) and nonbinary people in relation to their femininity. As a gender identity, it usually denotes an individual who is "non-binary or queer femme gender specifically and inherently addresses femmephobia and the systematic devaluation of femininity as part of their politics". The term is used exclusively for queer people regardless of whether they identify as female.
Contents
- Butch vs femme
- Emergence of queer theory and gender politics
- Emotional labor and self care
- Femme vs femininity
- Femmephobia and invisibility
- References
The term femme can apply to gender identity (such as transmen, genderqueer people, and cisgender people), or to sexual orientation. Everydayfeminism.com argues that it does not reinforce the gender binary, but it can work within and without it. A femme-identified person does not always dress or act "traditionally feminine" (meaning a feminine aesthetic, such as wearing makeup, heels, and numerous accessories), but the femme identity is associated with behaviors, interactions and political views. Although the femme identity has origins in the dichotomous relationship between butch and femme, femme is an "independent, autonomous gender expression" which does not need masculinity to help define it or for sexual attraction, since relationships between two people who identify as femmes is possible.
Butch vs. femme
The femme identity was originally rooted from the butch/femme roles that were created within hegemonic relationships in which the butch partner takes on a "masculine" role while the femme partner takes on a "feminine" role. Contrary to the popular belief that hegemonic nature of their relationships caused them to be less erotic and to represent a mirror to heterosexual couples, these identities were considered "complex erotic and social statements" which are rooted in "gendered erotic identities" The term butch and femme came out of the lesbian feminist movements and bars in the 1940s. Butch & femme as a “dynamic-duo” is when lesbians perform and embody the traditional stereotypes of cisgender-heterosexual couplings. This first convergence of the gender identity, gender roles, and sexual expressions challenged what women can be seen as and how femininity is recognized. Specifically the femme identity gave the idea that women did not have to orient their sexuality around men. Instead the radical rethinking of sexual liberation for women was starting to be born.
Emergence of queer theory and gender politics
Postmodernism and queer theory began “to examine the limits of not just gender itself, but the ways the concept of gender is defined, constrained, mandated, and rectified within the cultural discourse. And also the ways it can be reclaimed and re-signified.” In modern contexts and the increasing awareness of femme invisibility,“the attention paid to the butch figure has been heavily critiqued by an emerging queering of femininity” These new frameworks and perspectives allowed queer individuals to look at gender and expression in a whole new way in the context of the butch and femme identities, and begin to expand their individual possibilities and understandings of the terms along with the ideas of gender role play in general.
Emotional labor and self care
Taking on the title of a femme not only suggests how one might behave or present themselves, but also actions that are taken and how these individuals relate to the world. "Femme is connected to emotional labor and healing. It is based on the energy people put into the world, the connection they make with people and the care they have for them. It is allowing a particular kind of tenderness to be part of your identity." Furthermore, femmes have the unique ability to find power and strength in highlighting and appreciating their "feminine" behaviors and characteristics such as self-care and putting in emotional labor and creating/maintaining relationships. However, while this is an important part of the femme identity for some, others who identify as femme do not connect the word to emotional labor, instead connecting it to their appearance and other aspects of their personality.
Femme vs. femininity
Femme is a more radical way to practice inclusive feminism and has come about particularly in response to traditional feminism. Traditional Feminism, refers to the idea that women should be made equal to men and that there should be no differences in the ways that we evaluate people and that femininity and masculinity are social constructs. Modern feminism accepts that women and men inherently have differences, but moves to say that neither of these differences should have a superior value added but to instead celebrate the differences. Femmes choose to believe that there is no gender-binary and that people can fall anywhere within the gender spectrum resulting in the possibility to be gender-less, gender-fluid, femme, or masculine or center. Femmes believe that misogyny is used not only against women to inflict violence but primarily against femme identified people. Femmes also acknowledge toxic masculinity, and the ability of the patriarchy to not only negatively effect female-identified people but men as well. More specifically femme is combining feminist ideas to self-empowering actions.
Femmephobia and invisibility
Femmephobia, specifically refers to the devaluation and violence inflicted on those who are perceived as femme across gender identities or sexual orientation. Femmephobia is reinforced by trans-misogyny, effemimania, femi-negativity, and trans-phobia. The bottom line is that Femmephobia can be perpetrated by any person of any gender identity or sexual expression. Woman-identified femme's often mention having their authenticity of queerness questioned, and having feelings of invisibility within queer spaces. This is because oftentimes femmes are seen by other queers as fitting perfectly within the hegemonic society's framework.