Conceptualizations on Femininity and Identified Issues in Women

The study aimed to identify women's understanding of their femininity and their issues about it. The qualitative study had fifteen heterosexual women from Davao Occidental, Philippines with ages ranging 20 to 28 years old. Findings showed three main themes of the conceptualization of Femininity including (a) Feminine Qualities, (b) Shifting Paradigms on Femininity and (c) Femininity Roles. The identified issues on the other hand, revealed three major aspects namely (a) Intrapersonal Conflict on Femininity, (b) Experienced Gap due to Shifting Paradigms on Femininity and (c) vulnerability to violence among young adult women. The conceptualizations of femininity and identified issues have interactive relationship with each other. Women are experiencing issues due to the standards of femininity. Several relationships between the conceptualization and the issues: (1) femininity qualities in physical attractiveness increases intrapersonal conflict on femininity enhancement. (2) Shifting paradigms on feminine roles also heightened intrapersonal conflict of role fatigue, vulnerability to abuse and experienced gap due to the shift. Thus, recommendations are to promote Women Empowerment, helping women to balance femininity standards and ideologies in order to address different femininity issues and perhaps help them change their mindset and behavior for the better status of women in the patriarchal society.