Embracing Femininity

    

    

    After reading parts of Julia Serano's book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, I was reminded of the harsh contrast between the treatment of women and men in society. This reading also brought the slander that transgender people are commonly exposed to. 

    Serano portrays the marginalization of transgender women by exemplifying common occurrences. These include the hyper feminization of transgender women on the media along with the constant questioning as to whether or not they have had gender reassignment surgery performed. Serano also explains how they are also often hypersexualized and objectified.  

    Toxic masculinity is very common in all aspects of everyday life and influences the way people are treated. A woman will be judged if she's too masculine in which a man will be judged for being too feminine. People who defy social standards are thereby excluded from the “norm” and face obstacles overcoming their societal outcasts. 

    Serano states that we must fight for both, transgender male and female rights. She explains how while some feminists fight against the existing patriarchal society, they don’t treat transgender women as equals to cisgender women. I found this to be extremely hypocritical as often feminists are fighting for equal rights between men and women. If we are to abide by common social standards that only assign two sexes, then this means that feminists are fighting for the equality of all people. Transgenders are people and deserve to be treated with respect. 

    My favorite part of this reading was when Serano stated that we should be proud of femininity. I think this is a very important shift that needs to occur because many are exposed to harassment and bullying for dressing feminine. This is an additional and unnecessary barrier that will divide our society. We should all treat humans equally, not based on what they look like or how they dress.