Female Identity Research Articles

Beyond anatomy: I don’t have a uterus, what now? Case report and literature review

Rokitansky - Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is characterized by agenesis or aplasia of the uterus and upper part of the vagina and is considered the second most common cause of primary amenorrhea. The psychological repercussions are significant and are directly related to sexual and reproductive health. This work reports the case of a teenager with MRKH and reviews the syndrome and the main factors that impact mental health. Case description: Adolescent 14 years old, female, absence of menarche, sexual life not initiated, Tanner M5P5. Pelvic ultrasound with hypoplastic uterus, magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis with non-individualized uterus, unidentified vagina and ovaries with normal topography and morphology. Diagnosed with MRKH and has no desire to perform vaginal dilation. He has difficulty talking about the syndrome and aspects of his sexual life. She appeared sad and felt inadequate, especially after her father told her she was "less of a woman." Discussion: MRKH is the second most common cause of primary amenorrhea and its psychosocial impact is relevant. Historically, the uterus is described as primordial in female identity and menarche is an important milestone in puberty in girls. People with the syndrome tend to present more anxious and depressive symptoms, image disturbances, influencing self-esteem and identity construction. Conclusion: The diagnosis of MRKH involves several factors that go beyond anatomical changes. Therefore, it is essential to include emotional aspects in the clinical approach, aiming to improve sexual, reproductive and mental health and, above all, the quality of life of these people.

Fabricating modernity: female dress production, typology, and use in rural Cyprus (late 19th-early 20th century)

In modern Cyprological studies, the British Period (1878-1960) is widely acknowledged as crucially important for the advent of modernity. During this period, the radical transformation of Cypriot society was strongly expressed via the emergence and widespread adoption of novel cultural expressions and identities, largely adherent to Western/European lifestyle ideals. Processes of sociocultural change were initially and principally manifested in urban settings and among the middle and upper social classes. Nonetheless, by the dawn of the 20th century rural populations were set on their own path towards modernisation. Unfortunately, the introduction of new lifestyle elements among the wider social strata, the mechanisms involved, and the significance of changing behaviour patterns at the level of self-identification are yet to be fully examined, documented, and interpreted by scholarly research. The present analysis focuses on Greek-Cypriot female rural populations as an understudied segment of Cypriot society and aims to explore the potential of a dress study approach in the examination of British period modernisation processes. Dress comprises one of the strongest, non-verbal self-communicative mechanisms, and as such it is considered as a critical domain for the visual and tangible manifestation, but also the symbolic production and definition of sociocultural change. Drawing on evidence from the examination of extant dress items, oral testimonies, written accounts and visual materials, the current research endeavours to document the evolving female visual identity in late 19th‑early 20th century rural Cyprus; to trace new versus past and enduring elements in rural dress production, typology, and consumption/social use; and to discuss how basic modifications in the image of the clothed and adorned female body reflect identity transformations in rural society.

Deconstructing the Quest for Identity and Meaning in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing

Margaret Atwood’s novel, Surfacing (1972) addresses the Woman’s Question through the point of view of young woman who travels with her boyfriend and two married friends and sets on a journey into her troubled past. The paper analyzes the different ways in which the novel portrays the growing distance of the protagonist’s self-identity from her sense of language, history, and culture. It delves into the role of language, reason, and logic in imbuing as well as taking away the protagonist’s self-belief. It also probes Atwood’s portrayal of nature, especially wilderness, as an essential aspect of one’s psychological development and realization of desires. The paper argues that the novel is a quest for female identity and meaning in which language and nature play extremely significant roles.

The Research on the Depiction of Female Identity in Eileen Chang’s Novellas

Female liberation is a grand topic in Chinese modernization. Analyzing female identity in Chinese literature in the 20th century, especially in female authors’ works, helps people get a closer picture of the traits and processes of the women’s rights movement. This paper provides a close reading of the female identity in four well-known Eileen Chang’s novellas, "Love in a Fallen City", "Aloeswood Incense", "The Golden Cangue" and "Lust, Caution" as a way to discuss Eileen Chang’s attitude towards female individualism and female liberation in China. Female autonomy and subjectivity are two themes that Eileen Chang repeatedly discusses in her novellas, emphasizing her wish and support for female individualism in China. However, her female characters’ pain and tragic ending reveal Eileen Chang’s pessimistic attitude towards the resolution of female struggles and the uncertainty towards female liberation in China.The author hopes to make some contributions to relevant fields through this research.

Loss, Language, and Latina Identity in Julia Alvarez s How The García Girls Lost Their Accents

This article analyses the articulations and effects of cultural dislocation and trauma on the sisters’ construction of their female cultural identity in Julia Alvarez’s How The García Girls Lost Their Accents. This paper focuses primarily on Alvarez’s Sandra and Yolanda, those sisters whose sense of cultural dislocation and its consequences are arguably the most pronounced within the novel. Exploring the text’s concern with the disavowal of cultural heritage, a return to cultural practices and ways of life, and the sisters’ attempts to cope with extreme physical and psychological violence, this article seeks to examine how the women negotiate their unstable or fractured identities and demonstrate how, through the use of thematic and formal properties, the novel imagines routes toward healing, resistance, and reconciliation with the self.

Christina Rossetti'nin İki Kutuplu Kişiliği Ve “Goblin Market” Şiirindeki Yansımaları

Christina Rossetti’s entire life is all about her struggle against the tension between contrasting identities: literary and religious. Thus, her work is a reflection of her endeavour to balance both the societal and religious dichotomies, generated by the contradictions and complexities of the Victorian era. The role of religious reading in Rossetti's life and its impact on her poetry is undeniable, highlighting her speculative critique of restrictive gender roles and ideals of purity coerced by Christianity. Furthermore, societal expectations of Victorian womanhood and their influence on Rossetti's self reflect the multitudinous complexities of the female identity in her work. Such is the inconclusive Christianity in her soul’s quest behind duality and vacillation in her work, stemming from and leading to a divided psyche. The study aims to investigate Rossetti’s divided psyche oscillating between rebellious and compliant through the contrasting characters of Laura and Lizzie in "Goblin Market" to explore her ambivalent imagination of the female agency and the conventional gender roles that are underpinned by the Christian theology in her poetic exploration of the Victorian woman.

The (re)construction of female identity among women cancer survivors

Introduction: During and even after cancer treatment, changes related to patients’ body image and concerns about their female identity can impact both their physical and emotional health. This study aimed to understand the (re)construction of female identity among women cancer survivors.Methods: This was a qualitative study developed based on the concept of identity. Twenty-one adult women who had undergone or were undergoing antineoplastic treatment were interviewed.Results: The data analysis process revealed three themes, namely: Femininity on the skin, Being feminine in the eyes of others, and Being feminine now.Discussion: The identity of female cancer survivors was redefined after cancer treatment, since it leads to physical changes that affect the way they perceive themselves and present themselves as feminine to society. From this moment on, these women seek to assert themselves in socially and personally valued behaviors and actions that justify their femininity, building a new identity based on the illness experience.

Deciphering the Boundaries of Ottoman Armenian Female Identity in Zabel Yesayan’s My Soul in Exile

Deciphering the boundaries of female identity in the history of thoughts has been a deep-seated problematic issue since the mainstream, throughout the centuries, put strong emphasis on non-feminist discourses. When specifically focused on the Ottoman Empire, the circumstances, and obstacles that women encounter had no difference than their European counterparts. Ottoman Empire which was a land of different cultures, religions, and ethnic groups, witnessed a fundamental shift in terms of women rights in the 19th century. As a pattern of the Empire, the Ottoman Armenian women writers shed light on some postcolonial issues as well as feminist ones almost a century ago before it is theorized. The concepts of unhomeliness and hybridity as universal ideas are proven to be also timeless in the works of Zabel Yesayan, an Ottoman Armenian women writer, particularly in My Soul in Exile. This study aims to analyze the cultural richness of the women’s rights movements in the Ottoman Empire fed by different shareholders, such as Ottoman Armenian women writers in this particular paper. To have a better and deeper understanding of cultural and historical roots of women’s rights movements consolidates the construction of a stronger female identity since it will prove where we started and how we proceeded. Consequently, this paper intends that hearing multiple voices raised from the same geographic location, as well as being aware of and informed about different challenges, would be a watershed moment in the history of women, consolidating our steps and enriching our cultural heritage.

The Development of Postmodern Identity in the Characterisation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

This paper shows that postmodern identity is closely related to the image of cyborg in science fiction. Analyzing the environment and characters in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, written by Philip K.Dick, offers a deep understanding of characteristics of postmodern identity, which is unstable, fragmented and changeable. The bleak urban landscape where only few people live presents a post war and high tech world that shares features of postmodernism. Besides, the character John Isidore, who is a special, and many escaped androids are all considered as others that should be excluded from the normal society. Hence the dilemma of postmodern identity can be uncovered. To be specific, the android character Rachael Rosen illustrates the fragmentation and reconstruction of postmodern female identity because she is a humanoid robot designed as a woman. Also the combination between a cyborg and a woman gives an insight into the similarities between its identity and her identity. Based on the cyborg theory by Donna Haraway, the criticism by Anne Balsamo in Reading Cyborgs Writing Feminism and the postmodern identity theory by Elena Abrudan, the extent to which Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? explored the identity can be disclosed.

Pavlina Bogdan Bijelić - Traditional Female Identity on the Threshold of Modernity

The writings of teacher and ethnographer Pavlina Bogdan Bijelić provides a rare opportunity to gain insight into women’s professional advancements in Dubrovnik at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century from the perspective of ego-documents, using the case study method. Bogdan Bijelić’s personal attitudes and professional choices were analyzed in the context of accelerated social, economic and political circumstances. The focus is on three aspects of Bogdan Bijelić’s public activity: professional positioning in the cultural milieu of Dalmatia and Croatia, the interaction between politics and women (including her), and Bogdan Bijelić’s participation in the discourse on the “woman question.”

Identity Construction and Speech Acts in Ernaux’s The Years: A Corpus-based Feminist Stylistic Analysis

The present study explores the construction of the female identity in The Years, in comparison with the original French text Les Années, which is one of the novels written by the French author; Annie Ernaux, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2022. The study also investigates the relationship between identity construction in the selected novel and the occurrences and frequencies of the different types of speech acts used by the protagonist. As a result, it highlights how the structure of the utterances said by the female protagonist and the types of speech acts with an illocutionary force contributes to the comprehensive portrayal of the female character.The qualitative and quantitative textual analysis employs a triangulation of a number of analytical tools and theoretical frameworks, such as feminist stylistics, pragmatics, and social psychology, with a corpus-based approach. The underlying theories used in the present study are the Speech Act Theory (1962,1979), the Positioning Theory (1990) integrating with Mills’ (1995) framework of feminist stylistics. Findings demonstrate that two types of speech acts are frequently used and distributed in the selected novel; that is, expressive and directive in order to highlight the fact that the narrator intends to express her directions, compliments, and complaints about events and actions. Different positions are assigned to both the narrator and the protagonist in order to manifest the different identities constructed.

Attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals among Thai medical students.

The global population of individuals with gender diversity or LGBTQ+ people is on the rise. However, negative attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals persist, even among healthcare professionals, creating barriers to healthcare access. These attitudes are influenced by cultural variations worldwide and necessitate investigation across diverse cultures and settings. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and describe associated factors with being LGBTQ+ among Thai medical students. During the 2021 academic year, a survey was conducted at a medical school in Bangkok, Thailand, collecting demographic data and attitudes measured by a standardised Thai questionnaire. Descriptive statistics as well as bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to describe characteristics and association. A total of 806 medical students participated, with a neutral attitude being the most prevalent (72.2%), followed by a positive attitude (27.2%), and a minority reporting a negative attitude (0.6%). Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed significant associations between positive attitudes and female sexual identity (aOR 2.02, 95%CI 1.45-2.81, p-value < 0.001), having LGBTQ+ family members (aOR 3.57, 95%CI 1.23-10.34, p-value = 0.019), having LGBTQ+ friend (aOR 1.46, 95%CI 1.02-2.11, p-value = 0.040), and coming from areas outside of Bangkok (aOR 1.41, 95%CI 1.01-1.97, p-value = 0.043). Positive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community are essential for physicians, emphasising the need to study factors that contribute to positive attitudes in order to foster an LGBTQ+-friendly environment for both patients and medical students.

Creating Identity in Women: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Namita Gokhale’s Paro: Dreams of Passions

This study is based on the theory of psychoanalytic reading, which discusses the identity of a woman in the social structure. Identity is created from the birth of a person and it continues throughout the life of that person. It is a psychological development of each person along with his/her growth. This creation of Identity starts from the relationship with the mother and later with other members of the family and society. The cultural setting also influences the person’s identity as the other members are also influenced by society. The creation of female identity is a veritable discursive concept and acquired more importance in the field of literary criticism. Searching for the identity of the female characters of Indian women authors provide an inspiration to the women of India. However, the identity of a person is always changing or adding more to his/her character along with their growth.

Association of Pubertal Blockade at Tanner 2/3 With Psychosocial Benefits in Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth at Hormone Readiness Assessment

PurposeCompare psychosocial function at the time of hormone readiness assessment for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth who received pubertal blockade to prevent a nonaffirming puberty with those who did not. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of psychological assessment data from hormone readiness evaluations conducted at a multispecialty gender clinic. Participants include all TGD youth between the ages of 13 and 17 assessed for hormone readiness between 2017 and 2021. ResultsOur cohort consisted of 438 TGD youth, 40 who were prescribed pubertal blockade at Tanner stage 2 or 3, and 398 who had not. The blocker population was younger, more likely to be assigned male and affirming a female identity, and had a different racial/ethnic identity distribution. Having puberty blocked was associated with significantly lower T-scores on the Youth Self Report for internalizing problems (β = −7.4, p < .001), anxiety problems (β = −4.6, p = .003), depressive problems (β = −6.5, p < .001), stress problems (β = −4.0, p = .01), and total problems (β = −4.9, p = .003). The blocker population was also significantly less likely to report any suicidal thoughts (odds ratio = 0.38, p = .05). With the exception of increased risk of suicidal thoughts, these associations remained significant when adjusted for gender. DiscussionAt the time of hormone readiness evaluation, TGD youth who received pubertal blockade at Tanner 2 or 3 were found to have less anxiety, depression, stress, total problems, internalizing difficulties, and suicidal ideation than TGD peers who had been through more of a nonaffirming puberty.

The Impure Woman: A Psychodynamic Exploration of Female Subjectivity in Kishwar Naheed’s A Bad Woman’s Story and Hélène Cixous’ The Laugh of the Medusa

This research provides a psychodynamic exploration of female subjectivity in Kishwar Naheed’s Buri Aurat ki katha (2009) translated by Durdana Soomro’s A Bad Woman’s Story (2010) and Hélène Cixous’ "The Laugh of the Medusa" (2009) within the framework of Freud's psychodynamic theory. The psychodynamic perspective emphasizes the impact of childhood experiences on adult personality, highlighting unconscious psychological processes like wishes and fears. The study aims to unravel the intricate psychological shifts and female subjectivity depicted in the literary works, examining how the authors employ narrative strategies to challenge traditional gender roles and societal expectations. Drawing on Freud's psychodynamic theory, the research seeks to provide a new perspective on the psychological dimensions of the characters and themes in these literary works, shedding light on the complexities of female identity and empowerment. By analyzing the psychological underpinnings of the characters and their interactions, the article aims to offer insights into how the authors navigate the complexities of female subjectivity and the impact of societal norms on individual psychology. Ultimately, this inquiry contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychodynamic nature of the female characters in A Bad Woman’s Story and The Laugh of the Medusa, offering fresh insights into the psychological complexities of female subjectivity within the context of postmodern literature.

Unbecoming Archives: Anne Sexton's "Perverse" Imagination

Abstract: It is impossible to read much about American poet Anne Sexton before encountering references to her "perverse" imagination. Critics routinely argue that she paints a perverse vision of childhood sexuality, female identity, and adult sexuality in her work, and they often object to her frank discussions of the body, its pleasures, and its dangerous powers. Her depictions of mental illness, initiated in To Bedlam and Part Way Back , also earned the derision of many critics who urged her "not to enquire further." Helen Vendler (1988) argued that "a poem was never better for having a uterus in it," and James Dickey objected to being exposed to so much "naked suffering"; that quote was in Anne's wallet when she killed herself in her garage in 1974. In her interviews and her poetry, Sexton answered these critics as a confessional poet and a cultural critic. But even after her death, accusations of her perversion abound. First, her biographer, Diane Middlebrook, exposed her sexual abuse of her daughter Linda. And then Sexton's sister Blanche referred to the poet's "perverse imagination" in a 1991 letter to the Boston Globe , where she and her daughters objected to how Middlebrook's biography represented Sexton's family as riddled with alcoholism, child neglect and/or abuse, and suicide.

Constructing ambivalent masculinity and constant femininity in interracial families: Media representations of African-Chinese marriage on Xiaohongshu

Interracial marriage has increasingly gained visibility on Chinese social media platforms, especially African-Chinese marriage which has been popularly represented, sparking heated discussions publically. However, although several studies have touched upon interracial marriage with analyses through political and geographical lenses, few studies investigated the media representations and mediated comments towards African-Chinese marriage in China as it has become a hot topic on Chinese social media platforms recently. To fill this niche, this study explores how African-Chinese marriage is represented on Chinese social media through mediated public comments, and what ideological implication of represented subjectivity of male and female in African-Chinese marriage. Through feminist critical discourse analysis and intersectional perspective, it found that ambivalent masculinity and constant femininity are constructed in African-Chinese marriage through comments where Chinese males are predominantly represented as positive figures, while African men are greatly dehumanised and criticised. As for women, although public attitudes are distinctive towards Chinese and African women, they, sharing the collective identity of females, are restricted in the traditional conception of gender dichotomy. Finally, the social contextualisation of such representations and potential ideological implications will be generally discussed.

Behind the Poetics of the Female Asian Cyborg: A Techno-Orientalist Other

In 1985, Donna Haraway conceived a political myth of the cyborg, a cybernetic organism, hybrid of machine and organism, that refuses to be attributed to existing definitions used to explain the human body. Over the years, Haraways cyborg has continued to find itself in the center of academic and creative discourse. Given the prominence of Haraways model, in this paper, I will examine the cyborg poetics of two contemporary female Asian poets, Franny Choi and Sally Wen Mao, under the framework of Haraways cyborg. Both liken their self to cyborgs. Both take the perspective of cyborgs. Both are equally drawn to Haraways cybernetic dream. I will explain how Haraways cyborg is a fitting metaphor for the female identity and a relevant conduit for its expression, and how it facilitates the reckoning and rejection of the historically constituted female body. Finally, I will interrogate applicability of Haraways cyborg to the female Asian body by cross-referencing the cyborg with orientalism and techno-orientalism. I will argue for the exclusive nature of Haraways cyborg and its inadequacy in constituting a liberating space for the female Asian body.

Breaking the Bound of Cocoon -- A Comparative Study on Black Female Identity in Sula and Yearning

In the influential work, Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics, Bell Hooks scrutinizes prevailing Black feminist discourses, emphasizing the hegemony of white feminists, intersecting forms of oppression, and the consequential loss of subjectivity. Nevertheless, hooks innovative analysis encounters limitations when addressing the complexities within a literary context. This study conducts a comparative analysis of Black female identity construction, exploring the applicability of hooks theoretical framework to Sula, a novel by African American author Toni Morrison. This paper seeks to clarify alleged contradictions and evaluate hooks theory in three key aspects: the common predicament of Black female identity, the process of identity formation, and the relationship between identity and social class divisions. The analysis uncovers the necessity of acknowledging the shortcomings of hooks arguments when applied to Black feminist literature, such as its inattention to the profound inner struggle originating from cultural constraints in authentic experiences of Black females. Due to distinct writing contexts and backgrounds, Bell Hooks and Toni Morrison diverge in their perspectives on Black female identity, necessitating a closer examination to steer Black feminism towards a more radical path in the future.

A Gendered Analysis of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry and her Feminine Consciousness - Taking They shut me up in Prose - as an Example

Emily Dickinson was one of the greatest female poets in the history of Western literature and a pioneer of modernist poetry. Her reclusive life was considered eccentric at her time. Her poetry is unique in style and expression, and she wrote about women’s desire for freedom and independence, as well as her ambition of breaking the restrictions for women in a patriarchal society. She believed that poetry was a superior literary form compared to prose and that women could also express themselves through poetry. This essay focuses on the feminine consciousness expressed in Emily Dickinson’s poetry. By analyzing her poem, They shut me up in Prose - from a gendered or feminist perspective, this essay discusses the relationship between Emily Dickinson’s female identity and her career as a poet: Emily Dickinson’s feminist thought expressed in her poetry was influenced by the women’s rights movement in the 19th century America, as well as her own life and education experience, and poetry was her way to rebel against the patriarchal literary tradition.