ABSTRACT

Finding power within femininity, typically through masculinised dimensions of femininity, has long been a mechanism through which to recuperate feminised identities, experiences, and aesthetics within feminism. However, privileging powerfulness to the exclusion of dimensions of powerlessness, such as vulnerability, pathologizes femininity and maintains masculinism within feminism. Using queer femme autoethnography alongside intersectional feminist, femme, queer, and critical race theories, I demonstrate this tension surrounding how feminist feminine-of-centre folx negotiate masculinist pressures related to powerfulness and powerlessness in order to be considered properly feminist. I argue that continuing to prioritise powerfulness exclusively within feminism leaves little space for valuing femininized experiences, affects, and qualities, which are concomitant components of femininity. Ultimately, I conclude that the one-dimensional assertion that femininity is powerful, and only acceptable or potentially feminist when powerful, serves as a re-instantiation of a masculinist recuperation framework within feminism’s relationship to femininity. I assert that moving forward critical femininity studies should advocate for moving towards an acceptance framework regarding feminism and femininity in order to move beyond individualistic debates surrounding acceptable feminist femininities.

摘要

在女性气质中寻找力量，通常是通过女性气质的男性化维度，长期以来一直是一种机制，通过它在女权主义中恢复女性化的身份、经历和美学。然而，将权力赋予权力以排除诸如脆弱性等无能为力的维度，会使女性气质病态化，并在女权主义中保持男性主义。使用酷儿女性自民族志以及交叉女权主义、女性、酷儿和批判种族理论，我展示了这种紧张关系，围绕女权主义以女性为中心的 folx 如何协商与强大和无能为力相关的男性主义压力，以便被认为是适当的女权主义者。我认为，继续只在女权主义中优先考虑强大，几乎没有空间来评估女性化的经历、情感和品质，它们是女性气质的伴随成分。最后，我得出的结论是，女性气质是强大的，并且只有在强大时才被接受或潜在的女权主义者的一维断言，是在女权主义与女性气质的关系中重新实例化男性主义恢复框架。我断言，推进批判性女性气质研究应该提倡朝着关于女权主义和女性气质的接受框架迈进，以便超越围绕可接受的女权主义女性气质的个人主义辩论。