Masculinity Femininity Research Articles

Generic masculine role nouns interfere with the neural processing of female referents: evidence from the P600

ABSTRACT The masculine form in German is used to refer to male people specifically and to people of any gender generically. While behavioural research has demonstrated that this dual function leads to male-biased responses, the neural underpinnings of this bias are still underexplored. In the present EEG study, we investigated how the presentation of generically intended masculine role nouns (vs. role nouns in the feminine–masculine and masculine–feminine pair form) affected the neural processing of references to men and women. Referring to women after generic masculine role nouns induced difficulties during perceptual processing in the P200 range and, crucially, also during high-level reference resolution, as indicated by an enhanced P600 amplitude over posterior sites. In contrast, no significant processing conflicts were observed after the pair form. These findings illuminate the neural consequences of grammatical gender and support the notion that the generic masculine does not represent different genders equally well.

The Spiritual Turn and “Feminization”: Turning a Gender Lens on Spirituality

Abstract Although women and men identify as “spiritual” in similar numbers, far more women participate in the holistic milieu. We seek to solve this “gender puzzle” by fleshing out the gender scripts the holistic milieu fosters, and their varying relationships to the wider gender order. Surveying existing scholarship, we show that, for women, participation serves to naturalize a script of postfeminist femininity that combines gender essentialism with politically liberal commitments, is consonant with “difference” feminism, and holds an accommodationist relationship to the wider gender order. By contrast, for men, participation in the holistic milieu naturalizes a script of feminine masculinity (or male femininity) that, while also shaped by postfeminist culture, is comparatively counter-hegemonic, embodying a more radical challenge to the current gender order. This theoretical perspective enables us to explain not only why more women than men participate in the holistic milieu, but also why some women opt out, while some men opt in. Furthermore, it illuminates the pivotal place of gender in ongoing trends in the religious, and increasingly spiritual, landscape.

A meta-analytic integration of the theory of planned behavior and the value-belief-norm model to predict green consumption

Purpose This study aims to integrate the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory into a meta-analytic framework to synthesize green consumption literature. Design/methodology/approach By integrating the findings from 173 studies, a meta-analysis was performed adopting several analytical methods: bivariate analysis, moderation analysis and path analysis. Findings VBN- and TPB-based psychological factors (adverse consequences, ascribed responsibility, personal norms, subjective norms, attitude and perceived behavioral control) mediate the effects of altruistic, biospheric and egoistic values on green purchase intention. Further, inconsistencies in the proposed relationships are due to cultural factors (i.e. individualism-collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity–femininity, short- vs long-term orientation and indulgence-restraint) and countries’ human development status. Research limitations/implications The authors selected papers published in English; hence, other relevant papers in this domain published in other languages might have been missed. Practical implications The findings are useful to marketers of green offerings in designing strategies, i.e. specific messages, targeting different customers based on countries’ cultural score and human development index, to harvest positive customer responses. Originality/value This study is the pioneering attempt to synthesize the TPB- and VBN-based quantitative literature on green consumer behavior to resolve the reported inconsistent findings.

Statistical indices of masculinity-femininity: A theoretical and practical framework

Statistical indices of masculinity-femininity (M-F) summarize multivariate profiles of sex-related traits as positions on a single continuum of individual differences, from masculine to feminine. This approach goes back to the early days of sex differences research; however, a systematic discussion of alternative M-F indices (including their meaning, their mutual relations, and their psychometric properties) has been lacking. In this paper I present an integrative theoretical framework for the statistical assessment of masculinity-femininity, and provide practical guidance to researchers who wish to apply these methods to their data. I describe four basic types of M-F indices: sex-directionality, sex-typicality, sex-probability, and sex-centrality. I examine their similarities and differences in detail, and consider alternative ways of computing them. Next, I discuss the impact of measurement error on the validity of these indices, and outline some potential remedies. Finally, I illustrate the concepts presented in the paper with a selection of real-world datasets on body morphology, brain morphology, and personality. An R function is available to easily calculate multiple M-F indices from empirical data (with or without correction for measurement error) and draw summary plots of their individual and joint distributions.

Metaphors and masculine language as breaking female stereotypes in dangdut songs lyrics with vulgar content

Masculine refers to a specific construction of masculinity that is targeted towards men. Men do not inherently possess masculine traits; instead, masculinity is moulded by cultural influences. The association of masculinity with gender stereotypes in Indonesia arises from a subjective misunderstanding of the qualities of a particular group. Song lyrics containing explicit content, particularly those portraying women in derogatory or overly sexualised ways, might contribute to the establishment and perpetuation of detrimental gender stereotypes. The objective of this study is to examine the manifestation of masculinity in the explicit lyrics of dangdut songs and explore their potential to challenge gender stereotypes associated with women. This study uses a content analysis methodology to deconstruct the symbolic significance of masculine language in music lyrics. Data is collected with songs picked based on three factors (kind of music, song words, and song aspect). The music included are dangdut songs, specifically the three most widely circulated songs in 2023. The selected song lyrics consist of words, phrases, and sentences employed in a vulgar manner. The utilised aspects pertain to masculine attributes, gender-based archetypes, explicit content in song lyrics, and metaphoric expressions. Data analysis procedures carried out using qualitative data analysis approaches might include flexibility. Dangdut employs explicit content as a means of challenging gender norms using a qualitative descriptive method. The research findings indicate that the filthy dangdut songs titled "Ngidam Pentol," "Becekin Adek Bang," and "Jagung Rebus" exhibit different expressions of feminine masculinity. These expressions can be observed through the symbolic significance of the song lyrics, specifically in the form of sulking due to unfulfilled ambitions. Women engage in sexual activity with males, therefore challenging the idea that women are meek, courteous, and well-behaved.

The Correlation between Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions and COVID-19 Data in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic Period.

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) has become the deadliest virus to affect the international community in recent history, with more than 760 million people infected and more than 6.87 million deaths as of March 2023; therefore, based on Hofstede's national cultural theory, this study collected Hofstede's six national cultural dimensions on a global scale, namely, power distance (PDI), individualism/collectivism (IDV), masculinity/femininity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance (UAI), long-term/short-term orientation (LTO), and indulgence/restraint (IVR) scores, and COVID-19 data from the World Health Organization (WHO) from 22 February 2020 to 30 February 2021. Then, based on eight items of global COVID-19 data, this study analyzed the correlation between Hofstede's six dimensions and the COVID-19 data from six regions (Africa (AFRO), Europe (EURO), the Americas (AMRO), the Western Pacific (WPRO), South East Asia (SEARO), and the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)) divided by the WHO. This study found the following: (1) Hofstede's six cultural dimensions indeed have a significant correlation with the COVID-19 data of different WHO regions in different ways. (2) Except for IDV and UAI, PDI is a highly critical factor and has a significant correlation with the COVID-19 data from AFRO and EMRO. MAS also is an important factor and has a significant correlation with COVID-19 data from WPRO and SEARO. Meanwhile, LTO has a significant correlation with some COVID-19 data from the AMRO region, and IVR has a significant correlation with some COVID-19 data from the EURO region. Finally, the new insights from this study are worthy of further study by scholars, and they will be of great help to global governments and medical institutions in formulating policies to suppress infectious diseases in the future.

Revealing Masculinity in BTS’s Music: Between Self Identity and Market Desire

Previous studies assessed that the Korean Wave, including the music group Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS), had campaigned for a different side of masculinity. BTS, through their music, seems to carry the concept of a "female-friendly model of masculinity". This feminine masculine identity is attached to BTS members and creates a typical stereotype of Asian men in the United States. This study aims to determine the representation of masculinity displayed by the boy group BTS in their video clips from 2013 to 2021 and observe at least 33 video clips. The researcher observed the symbol representation in the video clip with a Critical Discourse Analysis from Norman Fairclough and then conducted a thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. The results showed a change in the representation of masculinity throughout their careers. This change in representation is also a form of compromise and negotiation between BTS as artists and the music industry's demands at an international level

Heterosexual Men's Visual Attention to Nude Images Depicting Cisgender Males, Cisgender Females, and Gynandromorphs.

Gynandromorphophilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to feminine males, who may or may not have breasts, and who retain their penises. Previous research has suggested that some capacity for gynandromorphophilia may characterize males who are gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted and aroused to adult females). This study examined Canadian cisgender gynephilic men's (n = 65) visual attention and subjective ratings of sexual arousal when presented with nude images of feminine males with, and without breasts, masculine males, and feminine females. Visual attention was assessed using an infrared eye-tracker. Subjective arousal to feminine females was highest, followed by subjective arousal to feminine males with breasts, feminine males without breasts, and masculine males. However, subjective arousal to feminine males without breasts and to masculine males did not differ significantly. The patterning of visual attention to images of females was unique, in that participants were equally likely to attend first to the face, chest or genitals. These areas also elicited relatively greater fixation durations and counts. Although participants fixated onto the chests of feminine males with breasts for longer durations than those of masculine males, most of the differences between feminine males, with and without breasts, were non-significant. These results suggest that female sex-based traits play a more primary role in gynephilic men's sexual arousal than feminine gender-based traits.

Real Face Analysis of Masculinity-Femininity, Facial Ratios, and Attractiveness.

Previous studies have evaluated the influence of facial features in determining male and female sex using prototypical renderings or artificially altered faces in relatively small sample sizes. Using a large set of human photographs and raters, this study hypothesized that certain anatomic facial ratios are associated with perceptions of masculinity/femininity, can interact to predict sex, and are associated with ratings of attractiveness differently in males and females. Ratings of masculinity-femininity and binary self-identification (male or female) were compared with facial anatomic ratios from 827 frontal facial photographs. Ratios were used to characterize facial feature relativity, where higher ratio scores indicated relatively more facial feature representation. Femininity was associated with prominent middle third ratio, nose length, lip vermillion height, eye height, and eye width ratios; masculinity was associated with prominence of the upper and lower facial thirds, nose width, chin height, and philtrum height ratios (all P < 0.01). Subgroup analysis demonstrated many of these relationships persisted when evaluating masculinity in females and femininity in males. Misgendering in males was associated with greater middle third ratio and upper lip ratio, whereas misgendering in females was associated with increased nose width ratio. This study demonstrates associations of femininity with increased horizontal middle third representation, and masculinity was associated with increased upper and lower horizontal representation. These facial ratios interact to predict male and female sex, which could have implications for optimizing facial feminization/masculinization outcomes and building algorithms for artificial intelligence analysis of faces.

How Culture Shapes the Influence of Work Design Characteristics: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review

This paper presents a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the literature on the influence of cultural dimensions on work design characteristics. With our proposed work design universals typology as a framework, we provide a narrative review and analyze the influence of six cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism–collectivism, masculinity–femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, and indulgence–restraint) on work design characteristics’ effects on job satisfaction and performance. In addition to running meta-analytic regressions examining the role of cultural characteristics as individual moderators of the relationship between work design characteristics’ and job satisfaction and performance, we further utilize qualitative comparative analysis to move beyond treating each cultural dimension as an independent predictor and, instead, investigate configurations of cultural dimensions as moderating variables of the relationships between work design characteristics and workplace outcomes. The present effort, therefore, serves as a test of a complex universal approach when examining the influence of culture on the relationship between work design characteristics and outcomes. Collectively, this study provides a systematic narrative and quantitative review of the work design literature to assess how cultural dimensions (both individually and through complex configurations) may affect the impact of work design characteristics on job satisfaction and performance. Based on our review, we offer recommendations for future research and continued calls for more systematic and integrative cross-cultural work design research.

MASKULINITAS YANG FEMININ PADA SOSOK AYAH DALAM LIRIK LAGU VIRGOUN “Saat Kau Telah Mengerti”

This study analyzed the characteristics of father masculinity as represented in the lyrics of Virgoun’s song "Saat Kau Telah Mengerti". The lyric describes father as a strict, firm and leading figure. But the expression of his feeling to his child describes his feminine side. A father seems to have a unique masculinity. The data was obtained by transcribing Virgoun’s song "Saat Kau Telah Mengerti" and then analyzed it using Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis. The results of the study found that father’s masculinity is different from what is required by hegemonic masculinity of patriarchal society. Hegemonic masculinity defines a man as the one who is free from feminine traits. In this lyric, father is a man with dual roles as husband and parent. It gives him a feminine masculinity. As the head of the family, he constructs a tough, assertive, and domineering attitude. While the fact that he is a parent instills a sense of affection, love, and the desire of caring children. masculine and feminine traits negotiated within him. His strict attitude is not merely the manifestation of masculine traits required by gender discourse, but an attitude driven by love for his child. Femininity infiltrates his masculinity and coexist within him.

MASKULINITAS YANG FEMININ PADA SOSOK AYAH DALAM LIRIK LAGU VIRGOUN “Saat Kau Telah Mengerti”

This study analyzed the characteristics of father masculinity as represented in the lyrics of Virgoun’s song "Saat Kau Telah Mengerti". The lyric describes father as a strict, firm and leading figure. But the expression of his feeling to his child describes his feminine side. A father seems to have a unique masculinity. The data was obtained by transcribing Virgoun’s song "Saat Kau Telah Mengerti" and then analyzed it using Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis. The results of the study found that father’s masculinity is different from what is required by hegemonic masculinity of patriarchal society. Hegemonic masculinity defines a man as the one who is free from feminine traits. In this lyric, father is a man with dual roles as husband and parent. It gives him a feminine masculinity. As the head of the family, he constructs a tough, assertive, and domineering attitude. While the fact that he is a parent instills a sense of affection, love, and the desire of caring children. masculine and feminine traits negotiated within him. His strict attitude is not merely the manifestation of masculine traits required by gender discourse, but an attitude driven by love for his child. Femininity infiltrates his masculinity and coexist within him.

Cross-country determinants of citizens' e-government reuse intention: empirical evidence from Kuwait and Poland

PurposeDespite the major information technology investments made by public institutions, the reuse of e-government services remains an issue as citizens hesitate to use e-government websites regularly. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-country determinants of e-government reuse intention by proposing a theoretical model that integrates constructs from (1) the Delone and McLean IS success model (i.e. system quality, service quality, information quality, perceived value and user satisfaction); (2) the trust and risk models (i.e. citizen trust, overall risk, time risk, privacy risk and psychological risks); and (3) Hofstede's cultural model (i.e. uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, individualism and cross-cultural trust and risk).Design/methodology/approachBased on data from interviews with 81 Kuwaiti citizens and surveys of 1,829 Kuwaiti and Polish citizens, this study conducted comprehensive, cross-cultural and comparative analyses of e-government reuse intention in a cross-country setting.FindingsThe results show that trust is positively associated with citizens' intention to reuse e-government services, whereas risk is negatively associated with citizens' perceived value. This study also found that masculinity–femininity and uncertainty avoidance are positively associated with the intention to reuse e-government services and that individualism–collectivism has no significant relationship with reuse intention. This study's findings have important implications for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and improve e-government success in cross-country settings.Originality/valueThis study developed a parsimonious model of quality, trust, risk, culture and technology reuse that captures country-specific cultural contexts and enables us to conduct a comprehensive, cross-cultural and comparative analysis of e-government reuse intention in the cross-country setting of Kuwait and Poland.

Endorsement on Instagram and cultural dimensions: an analysis of digital influencers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the individualism/collectivism and masculine/feminine cultural aspects presented in the endorsement content made and shared by digital influencers on Instagram.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a cross-cultural qualitative study, collecting endorsement posts published by six fitness mega-influencers from Brazil and the USA. A total of 147 posts were assessed through the semiotic analysis of still images.FindingsThe authors identified that, in collectivist and feminine cultures, endorsements focus on the emotional competence of the digital influencer and the content aims at interaction, whereas in individualistic and masculine cultures, the posts highlight the informational competence of the influencer and the content focuses on the endorser's self-promotion.Research limitations/implicationsThis study examined only two of the Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, limiting its scope. However, this study established a model that shows that the appeal of content posted by the influencer depends on individualism–collectivism dimension and the post symbolism is a result of the masculinity–femininity dimension. This study also identified the spectrum of appeal in messages and the role of advertising in building the influencer's narrative.Practical implicationsThe authors identified cultural traits as an important criterion of congruence when choosing a brand endorser and as an element that impacts the marketing communication strategy in a social media environment. Therefore, this study suggests that organizations consider the influencer's culture as a criterion for choosing endorsers, which will guide the digital content strategy suited to the campaign's target audience.Social implicationsThis study emphasizes the illusory effectiveness of the internet in the search for convergence, establishing that the digital environment still requires socialization that brings feelings of cultural engagement, especially through new social actors arising from virtual media. Still on the social side, this study suggests the reflection of the economic characteristics of a country together with its cultural dimensions.Originality/valueThis study fills a research gap from previous studies that provide empirical evidence on the impacts of cultural differences on social media behaviors. This research adds the impact of the influencer in this virtual environment to restructure the communication and information model, mold it according to the culture, acting as indicators of social transformation resulting from technological advances. This research still innovates by proposing a new methodological approach for semiotic analysis in digital media.

Factors Influencing Public Risk Perception of Emerging Technologies: A Meta-Analysis

The development and application of emerging technologies pose many social risks, which raise public concerns. Various factors influence the public risk perception of emerging technologies, and a systematic and accurate understanding of these factors plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable development of emerging technologies. Considerable inconsistency and ambiguity exist in the influence of relevant factors on the public risk perception of emerging technologies in existing studies, which need to be explored systematically and comprehensively through meta-analysis. This study constructs an analytical framework of “technology–psychology–society” and conducts a meta-analysis of 272 papers, including 449 correlations and 191,195 samples. The results show that perceived benefit, knowledge, innovativeness, trust, and social influence have significant negative effects on risk perception. Perceived cost has a significant positive effect on risk perception. Gender and cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism–collectivism, and masculinity–femininity have moderating effects on the relationship between relevant factors and risk perception; the type of emerging technology, age, and the cultural dimension of long-term/short-term orientation do not have moderating effects. Based on the above findings, this study proposes corresponding suggestions from the perspectives of R&amp;D, application, and management of emerging technologies.

We Would Not Eat Dog Meat Considering Their Well-Being and the Environmental Benefits, at Home or Traveling Abroad

This study examined Vietnamese young people’s intentions to eat and recommend eating dog meat while staying in Vietnam and when traveling in Korea, taking into account the impacts of three egoistic values (functional, hedonic, and symbolic), three altruistic values (animal-, environment-, and society-oriented), and five sociodemographic and personality variables (biological sex, original place of residence, parents’ education and income, and masculinity–femininity). This study developed a structured questionnaire based on the existing literature. It then administered the questionnaire to a sample of university students in Hanoi, Vietnam. A sample of 249 responses was aggregated. The outcomes revealed the significant contributions of two altruistic values of animal- and environment-oriented and one sociodemographic factor of the place of residence (i.e., urban vs. rural). However, the intentions were weak in both scenarios: Vietnam and Korea. This study discussed the implications of these outcomes with future social marketing campaigns aiming at reducing irregular meat consumption. This study examined all perceived values and consumer behavior domains, especially for irregular meat consumption. It helped reveal relative contribution of each value domain to consumers’ behavior in their daily lives and during their holidays. The findings indicate that the potential changes in the sociocultural environments via international tourism might not impact young people’s intention toward consuming irregular meat. Keywords: dog meat, Vietnam, Korea, altruistic values, egoistic values. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55463/hkjss.issn.1021-3619.60.88

Cultural Analysis of the Impact of Cultural Differences on Non-Verbal Communication during the On-Site Business Meetings of Slovenian and Montenegrin Partners

Abstract This research addresses challenges of the intercultural business encounters of Slovenian and Montenegrin business partners with a focus on the non-verbal communication (NVC; body language, physical appearance, proxemics, haptics, chronemics, oculesics) during intercultural business meetings between partners. Analysis was built on the theoretical framework on the basis of Hofstede's six dimensions of culture. The comparison between the two countries was performed, showing that there are no significant differences except for the masculinity–femininity aspects, but when considering the Indulgence and Long Term Orientation, Slovenia exhibits equally dispersed traits of both extremes. This comparison served as a starting point for developing a research structure. Before conducting the qualitative study, nine managers from Slovenian and Montenegrin companies were sampled using snowball technique, conveniently being from partner companies in both countries. They were interviewed by the semi-structured interview technique, which addresses differences and similarities within NVCs: their posture, eye contact, physical appearance, chronemics and proxemics during onsite business meetings. The research data findings demonstrate that respondents did not perceive significant differences, which could impact the quality of NVC or lead to greater conflicts. In the comparative analysis of two business cultures, several aspects were identified within two areas, namely paralanguage and chronemics: Montenegrins are reported to be more talkative, louder and fast-speaking, more gesticulating, and rushing decisions and discussions, while Slovenians are reported to be more reserved, calm, less expressive during the meetings, and taking more time for decisions and discussions. Analysis also revealed that both sides show a relatively low level of awareness of the NVC and not paying enough attention to these specific NVCs and their impact during intercultural business communication. The findings indicate that some cultural differences exist between the cultures; however, respondents showed a low level of awareness and reported no ability to approach or manage NVC during the business encounters.

Intra- and Intersexual Mate Competition in Two Cultures : A Comparison of Women's Response to Mate Competition with Women and Gender-Nonbinary Males in Samoa and among the Istmo Zapotec.

The present study examined women's mate competition tactics in response to female and feminine-male rivals in two cultures in which competition against both occurs. In Samoa and the Istmo Zapotec (Southern Mexico), women not only compete with other women (intrasexually) but also compete with rival feminine males (intersexually) in order to access/retain the same masculine men as sexual/romantic partners. Using a mixed-method paradigm, women were asked about their experiences of intra- and intersexual mate competition, and these narratives were recorded. The tactics reportedly employed by participants, and those attributed to mate competitors, were categorized according to established taxonomies of mate competition tactics, and their frequencies compared. Within-culture, the likelihood that participant women had ever experienced intra- and intersexual mate competition did not differ. Furthermore, participants reported a similar pattern of behavioral tactics whether their rival was another woman or a feminine male. These included benefit provisioning tactics during mate acquisition and cost-inflicting tactics during mate retention. Similarly, the mate competition tactics attributed to rival women and rival feminine males bore a striking resemblance, focused on enticing target men. Results highlight the mate competition tactics employed by women outside of a Euro-American context, and the way cultural factors impact mating landscapes presumed to be exclusively heterosexual. The presence of feminine males, alongside masculine men's willingness to engage in sexual activity with them, induces women in such cultures to compete intersexually in comparable ways to intrasexual competition with rival women.

Gandhi and the Gender of Nonviolent Resistance

The special issue of which this article forms a part looks at human violence and tries to investigate religious potentials to strengthen the case for nonviolence as the preferred method of social change. This article’s focus is on Gandhi’s version of a faith-based form of nonviolent resistance, called Satyagraha, and its relation to gender. In particular, the article asks whether this Gandhian tradition holds any value for women’s struggles and for contemporary feminist politics. The first section follows the historical development of Gandhi’s thinking on women’s participation in Satyagraha, from South Africa to India. The second section gives a brief overview of the recent empirical work conducted by Erica Chenoweth on the impact of women’s participation on the outcomes of mass movements over the past century. The final section places these two thinkers in conversation and draws out the value and limitations of Gandhi’s thinking for contemporary women’s struggles and feminist resistance. Although the direct focus is on the relation between women and nonviolent revolutionary campaigns and movements, indirectly the unstable gendered dichotomies, male–female, masculine–feminine, and violence–nonviolence, will be simultaneously drawn upon and problematised.

‘PERFORMANCE DOES NOT CHANGE THE SEX’: A STUDY OF JUDITH HALBERSTAM’S NOTION OF FEMALE MASCULINITY IN THE LIGHT OF SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND LITERATURE

Gender and sexuality are two dominant aspects in queer and feminist studies. The idea of feminine masculinity has been extensively discussed in Judith Halberstam’s Female Masculinity (1998)[1] to bring attention to masculine manifestations by female actors in butch-femme interplay and drag king performances. Halberstam’s arguments are based on the prevalent socio-political and cultural monopolization of gender identity that endorses patriarchy as the dominating force of economic and state manipulations. In a bid to challenge the status quo, Halberstam has propagated the notion of an alternative masculinity evident in childhood tomboyism that may lead to gender fluidity, frequently reflected and enacted in lesbian films and the American nightclub theatricals within an emergent drag king culture. The present article contends that Halberstam’s arguments for a feminine masculinity in his non-fictional prose work Female Masculinity (1998) are flawed in view of biological science, fictional representations of sexual orientations in dramatic performances, and real-life experiences. The results of the study indicate that outstanding human performances do not erase gender identities evident in biological anthropology.