Feminine Type Research Articles

“Being a Girl is a Challenge… Maybe That’s Why It’s So Important to Be Proud of It.” Gender Identity and Performances of Femininity in Young Females with Limited Delinquency

We seek to expand the knowledge on gender identity and gender roles in young females with limited delinquency. Our thematic analysis of identity-status interviews and narratives from 10 female adolescents (aged 15–18 years) sentenced to youth service showed that they viewed being a girl as important, but also generally inflected by aspects of hardship and violence. We interpreted three types of femininity in the girls’ reasoning about their gender identity in relation to delinquency. These were used to both overcome and sustain gender hegemony. Findings also showed how these young women were both victims and social agents, whose experimentation and defense of self and others were embedded in their rationales for their offenses.

Fishing businesses, women's entrepreneurship, and the performance of femininity

Although recent work has examined how masculinities are performed through fishing work at sea, less research has focused on how femininities are performed in the gendered fisheries context. By focusing on a particular group of women in fisheries – the women entrepreneur – this study examines the performances of femininities in their entrepreneurialism. It explores whether women entrepreneurs can perform gender differently and, by effect, subvert the gender order in the fisheries context. I draw on Schippers' (2002, 2007) concepts of ‘gender hegemony’, ‘gender maneuvering’ and three forms of femininities: ‘hegemonic femininity’, ‘pariah femininity’ and ‘alternative femininity’. My research found that women's performances of femininities are multiple and versatile as women adapted their gender performances to varying situated, relational and spatial contexts. All women entrepreneurs performed a type of hegemonic femininity that supported, confirmed and upheld hegemonic masculinity. Yet, through their entrepreneurial work in male-dominated fishing spaces, women also performed a form of pariah femininity which incorporated many features of hegemonic masculinity – such as getting dirty and displaying strength. In food spaces, on the other hand, women performed a type of ‘alternative femininity’, predicated on being sociable, skilled in cooking and being service minded, which was not predicated on their subordination to that of masculinity. The wider significance of these findings is that women fisheries entrepreneurs maneuver their gender by adopting versatility in their gender performances. This versatility allows them to simultaneously be ‘good’ female partners of fisher-men and tough fish workers, whilst also carving out a space for themselves in food entrepreneurship which was more liberating, enjoyable and self-fulfilling.

Peculiarities of the formation of psychological signs of masculinity and femininity in athletes (on the example of sports acrobatics)

The article presents a study of determining the degree of manifestation of inversion of sexual dimorphism using the study of psychological types (behavioral indicators of masculinity/femininity) according to the method of Sandra Bem (S. Bem) in acrobats of various roles and genders and non- athletes. Athletes specializing in pair and group sports acrobatics and persons of the same age who do not play sports took part in the research. Acrobatic girls were divided into 2 groups: 1) roles at the top (n=32), puberty age (13.96±1.02), 2) roles in the middle and at the bottom (n=42), youth age (19.36±2.86). Young acrobats: 1) roles above (n=32), average age 14.88±2.32; 2) roles in the middle and below (n=48), average age 20.38±2.89. Sports qualification of athletes: beginners, sub-elite and elite athletes. All subjects were offered the method of determining a person's gender identification (psychological sex) according to S. Bem, which is based on determining the degree of masculinity, femininity and androgyny of an individual. It was found that 10% of female respondents, 12-25 years old (the roles above), specializing in pair-group acrobatics, belong to the masculine type of gender identity, and 90% to the andromorphic type. In those who do not do sports: masculinity – 3%, femininity – 10%, androgyny – in 87% of the subjects. 45% of male acrobats showed signs of masculinity, 55% – androgyny. In people who do not do sports: masculinity – 30%, androgyny – 70%. Acrobats aged 16-23 (the roles in the middle and below: masculinity – 20%, androgyny – 80%. Feminine personality type was not found in any of the athletes. In female acrobats of both roles, the test data obtained using the psychological gender method indicate a shift from the feminine type of gender identification to the masculine and androgynous types.

“I’m Not Afraid of Storms, for I’m Learning How to Sail My Ship.” Facets of Womanhood in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1868)

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1868) is a timeless piece of writing about four sisters living in the late 19th-century Concord in America. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy who, albeit raised within the boundaries of the same social setting, represent different facets of womanhood. Whereas Meg displays a traditional model of femininity from that time, Jo may be viewed as a rebellious tomboy combining both male and female features within her. Amy stands for artistically gifted women, while Beth exhibits the transcendent ideal of womanhood, which cannot be achieved. Since the types of femininity they represent differ, they are analysed separately to then be juxtaposed to highlight the differences between them. This paper proposes the analysis of the four sisters with respect to different facets of femininity they display. It uses intertextual practice to show the resemblance between the fates of the March girls and Alcott’s life. The comparative analysis proves that there is no universal answer to the question of what it means to be a woman as there are countless feminine types, which may partly overlap. By creating four March sisters, the representatives of distinct types of femininities, Alcott proves that every female is allowed to offer her own definition of femininity, depending on the ideals she represents.

Gender Specifics of European Iconography at the Beginning of the 19th Century: Problem of Analysing the Images of Maria Szymanowska

The purpose of the article is to analyse the iconography of Maria Szymanovska in the context of gender specifics of European painting at the beginning of the 19th century. The research methodology consists in the application of the comparative method, which made it possible to compare the images of Maria Szymanowska in the early and late periods of her work; to compare the portraits of the artist with typical images of European women of the studied era, in order to establish the degree of conventionality/originality of her visual image. The historical method and the method of cultural commentary made it possible to analyse and determine the place of Maria Szymanowska's iconography in the panorama of European portrait painting at the beginning of the 19th century. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the understanding of the visual image of Maria Szymanowska through the prism of the gender characteristics of the time. Three unknown portraits of Maria Szymanowska are being published for the first time – finds from the archive of the Vasyl Stefanyk National Scientific Library of Ukraine, which expand the understanding of the iconographic image of the artist throughout her creative biography, and also complement the understanding of the gender specificity of the images of women in European iconography, in particular, women female artists of the analysed period. Conclusions. The analysis of Maria Szymanowska's iconography made it possible to characterise the visual image of the artist as one that fits into contemporary European ideas about fashion, social presentation in the community (in the case of Szymanowska, it is a conscious desire to get closer to the aristocracy) and a romantic type of femininity as a certain aesthetic and worldview ideal. The existing iconography of Maria Szymanowska in its various artistic manifestations (lithographs, watercolours, oil paintings, sculpture) allows us to talk about compliance with the gender norms of the time regarding the proper – and therefore attractive, empathetic, comfortable and, most importantly, socially acceptable – appearance of a woman.
 Keywords: Maria Szymanowska's iconography, cultural methodology of gender analysis, painting, European portrait painting of the 19th century, gender studies.

Illegally blonde: Performing femininity in the mediated courtroom

When facing criminal charges, female defendants face a difficult double bind; they are simultaneously judged for the crimes they have committed and for breaching socially defined boundaries of femininity. An unfair portrayal in the media may cause a crisis in any instance, but when the subject is facing criminal charges, the stakes are much higher. To appeal to the court of public opinion, female defendants must consider implicit gender biases by performing a type of femininity that is perceived as authentic and earnest yet appropriately moderated. These expectations are most evident in high-profile celebrity scandals as the defendant is measured against their public persona – even if that persona is entirely constructed. This article examines how dress affects the way female celebrity defendants are perceived in the courtroom and how attained fame and American mass media influence this perception as is evident in the cases of Alexis Neiers, Patty Hearst, Winona Ryder and Anna Delvey.

Masculinity and Femininity in Social Interaction: An Intergroup Analysis

The system of gender relations, conservative as it may seem, is currently undergoing some major changes. This research addressed the differences in social interaction in groups of people with different levels of masculinity and femininity. It relied on authentic questionnaires of gender attitudes and social interaction for different gender types. Interaction parameters included competition vs. support, hostility vs. sympathy, material vs. non-material priorities, values, control, dependence, and frequency/time of relationships. The results were subjected to ANOVA and T-test (IBM SPSS 27.0). The experiment involved 388 respondents (43% men, 57% women) aged 18–70 y.o. The gender type appeared to affect such aspects of relationships as time, sympathy, competitiveness, forced interaction, dependence on oneself and partner, control, friendly support, and mutual assistance. The largest number of statistically significant features belonged to the interaction between masculine and feminine types. They neither shared the same values nor sympathized with each other, had competitive and unequal relationships, expressed self-dependence, avoided nonmaterial resources, etc. Masculinity and femininity proved to play different roles in the organization of social interaction. The effect of masculinity was more prominent in relationships, making masculine-type people pickier in their choice of partners. The participants with prevailing femininity tended to adapt to their partner’s character profile.

Gender Components of Chinese Vocal and Stage Art

The purpose of the article is to determine the specific features of gender identity in Chinese vocal and stage art. In particular, to analyse the place and significance of femininity as a component of the image of “tribute”, the art of male travesty is considered in accordance with its place in Chinese opera culture. The research methodology is based on the fundamental principles of historical and cultural analysis, as well as an interdisciplinary and systematic approaches to the problem. The conceptual methodological core of the study is a systematic analysis of identity, as well as the concept of gender from the standpoint of its psychological state and social construction in art, rather than its physical and biological characteristics. The scientific novelty of the study is characterised by the fact that for the first time an attempt has been made to systematise the characteristic features of gender identity in the vocal and stage arts, from the standpoint of their characteristic of Beijing opera in accordance with femininity and muscularity in Chinese culture. Conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, it has been determined that the tradition of predominantly male cross-gender dressing in Chinese vocal and stage art performs a complex cultural function of constructing and broadcasting the type of femininity that was necessary for a patriarchal society with a rigid binary gender structure. In the process of its development, this art has become a reflection of the current state of cultural philosophy from its Confucian position. It is also noted that according to the Chinese culture, which has developed in opera, femininity or masculinity is not tied to the biological definition of gender, but is flexible in accordance with the general cultural aesthetic picture of the world. Key words: gender, vocal and stage art, Beijing opera.

"They Are Just Girls": Clara Bow's Star Persona, Female Adolescence, and the Flapper Youth Spectator

Abstract: In the 1920s, a new type of adolescent femininity emerged in the US—the flapper. This article examines the connections between silent film star Clara Bow's flapper persona, feminine adolescence, and the flapper film spectator. The flapper spectator was not only the actual moviegoer, but also a structure of looking and feeling constructed by the organization of the flapper film, which demonstrated the potential of bodily movement to generate feelings of freedom. Testimonials from girls in the Payne Fund studies and fan letters are used to study flapper spectators' engagement with Bow's performance of the flapper.

Отношение к социальному взаимодействию с людьми маскулинного и фемининного типов: эмпирическое исследование

Introduction. Significant changes are taking place in the system of gender relations in modern conditions, but the processes of interaction in it remain poorly understood. Purpose: to identify differences in attitudes towards social interaction with people of masculine and feminine types. Theoretical analysis. The analysis showed that interaction in the space of gender relations is studied through the prism of gender norms and stereotypes, as well as by the method of comparative analysis of the psychological characteristics of communication, consideri ng the gender factor. Empirical analysis. Methods: author’s questionnaire of social interaction (N = 388 people); stepwise discriminant and correlation analysis for paired samples (SPSS 27.0). Most of all, the attitude to interaction with people of the masculine and feminine types differs in the following parameters: considering the experience of relationships and partnership nature in interaction with feminine people; friendly support, mutual assistance in interaction with masculine people. Pairwise comparison of each respondent’s assessments of interaction with masculine/feminine type people showed differences in only 4 parameters: perception of rivalry between one’s own and partner, differences in values, use of intangible resources. Conclusion. For the first time, it was established what parameters differ in the attitude towards interaction with people of different gender types.

Tennis representations in the 20th-century Brazilian press: women’s bodies in focus

ABSTRACT Involved in representations that produce meanings according to the characteristics of each time and space, the human body is a record of history and culture. The media is one of the instruments that convey these meanings, and, as tennis was a sport considered beautiful and without physical contact, it represented a practice that did not disfigure the femininity of cisgender women. Therefore, this study sought to discuss how the sport of tennis was represented in a women’s magazine in the mid-20th century in Brazil, analyzing the stereotypes behind such a representation. For this, we used the pages of the Brazilian magazine Jornal das Moças and defined the period in which it was distributed as being from 1914 to 1965. We identified different representations of the tennis practice that reinforced whiteness and specific stereotypes, such as cisness and heteronormativity, when encouraging women to be attractive to men, with tennis supporting the importance of women in the constitution of families and being an opportunity for women from ruling classes to leave the domestic environment. In addition, it involved aspects of health maintenance and forms of beautification capable of developing physical characteristics that received high praise in virtue of the type of femininity.

Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan by Jan Bardsley

Reviewed by: Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan by Jan Bardsley Rebecca Corbett (bio) Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan. By Jan Bardsley. University of California Press, 2021. xvi, 283 pages. $85.00, cloth; $29.95, paper; $29.95, E-book. Anyone who has spent time in Kyoto in the 2000s has likely noticed the "maiko boom" which Jan Bardsley masterfully unpacks in Maiko Masquerade. The ubiquity of the maiko figure in souvenir shops, on tourism posters, in-person with domestic and international tourists playing "dress up," and even occasionally a real maiko, permeates the city and its representation. Bardsley takes an interdisciplinary cultural studies approach to examining the media and popular culture representation of the maiko in twenty-first-century Japan, her research inspired by a question posed by her students: "What kinds of geisha stories exist these days in Japan?" In the 2000s, it is not so much the geisha (or geiko, in Kyoto, used in this book) but the teenage apprentice maiko who is the figure of popular imagination. Bardsley is particularly concerned with representation of maiko in media and popular culture. Using an impressively diverse range of sources from movies, manga, light novels, visual art, and biographies to popular guides, [End Page 214] photobooks, and even tenugui (cotton hand towels), Bardsley crafts a lively and richly nuanced narrative about this "millennial maiko." Themes that emerge in Maiko Masquerade are the performance of "maiko-likeness," maiko agency, and maiko as quintessential Japanese good girl. "Maiko-likeness" (pp. 3, 31–35), or maiko rashii maiko, is a compelling through line and where the idea of masquerade, in the title, comes from—maiko-likeness being something performed. Bardsley shows how this performance is linked to the performance of femininity in millennial Japan. This is perhaps a topic that could have been further explored by bringing in historical studies of the performance of different types of femininity in Japan. Maiko agency is found in accounts that foreground becoming a maiko as a path of a girl's own choosing, "largely due to her love of kimono and dance" (p. 3). Interwoven within this narrative is a distancing of the work of maiko from sexual servitude and exploitation which, as Bardsley shows in chapter 4, characterize earlier popular narratives of the maiko in the twentieth century. One question not fully explored is whether this distancing presents a danger of erasing historical realities of exploitation and sexual servitude. The maiko, and particularly the maiko rashii maiko that she strives to be, is "especially mannered and contained" (p. 3). As the quintessential Japanese good girl, who values traditional arts and textiles, she stands in direct contrast to other figures in popular culture such as kogal (delinquent high school girls) (pp. 13–14). Each of these themes is complex and interwoven with the others; as they recur throughout the book, Bardsley draws them out at key moments for the reader. Given the range of sources and disciplinary approaches that Maiko Masquerade employs, it will be of interest to scholars in fields such as literature, cultural studies, media studies, theater and performance studies, and gender and sexuality studies. It builds upon and makes important theoretical contributions in all of these fields and should be read by anyone with an interest in millennial Japanese culture and society, whether the figure of the maiko intrigues you or not. It is particularly nice to see a book that thanks students who inspired it as the first acknowledgment. It is clear that conversations in the classroom shaped this book in ways that make it suitable for use in the classroom itself. Chapter 5 on the "Adventures of a Boy Maiko" provides a great case study for students interested in contemporary Japanese literature, culture, and gender studies, for example. Structurally the flow between chapters is excellent, each building on themes of the preceding chapters, making the book particularly enjoyable to read as the story develops and gathers pace. It begins with a discussion of the spaces the maiko occupies, with descriptions of the five hanamachi (neighborhoods) in Kyoto where maiko live and work, alongside geiko, tea-house and okiya managers, and other workers. While each hanamachi is distinct...

'Feminine horror' or 'eminent Viennese specialty'? : Vienna's Kunstgewerblerin in Paris, 1925

This article focuses on the Austrian contribution to the 1925 Exposition des Arts D�coratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris and the role of the modern woman designer (Kunstgewerblerin) in light of the exhibition's focus on the modern female consumer. Tracing how women's contributions were seen as significant only when emphasising the pavilions shortcomings in offering truly modern (meaning practical and functional) design solutions, the article draws on debates about gender and the purpose of modern design, about the luxurious nature of the decorative arts in Vienna, and about the contested figure of the Kunstgewerblerin as a profession and a type of modern femininity. It argues that the 'female factor' in Austria's participation in Paris epitomised a moment when women's contributions to interwar Austrian design were being renegotiated in relation to the social, cultural, and economic concerns after the First World War

Гендерная асимметрия в традиционной культуре тюркских народов Дагестана в XIX – нача-ле XX в.

The article indicates gender roles in the traditional culture of the Turkic–speaking peoples of Da-gestan in the 19th – early 20th century, defines the daily responsibilities of men and women in the household, their gender-marked occupations, stereotypes and behaviors, their participation degree in social production, and also defines the individual opportunities of men and women in everyday and public life, in education, in access to governance, in the family law system, their place and role in public life and spiritual culture. The materials point to the asymmetry of the gender system of the Turkic-speaking peoples of Dagestan, where everything male (masculine) was primary, sig-nificant and dominant, and everything female (feminine) was defined as secondary, insignificant, and subordinate. It was found that the gender distribution in the family among the Turkic-speaking peoples of Dagestan occurred under gender, according to which the man performed professional roles, the woman's family roles, which corresponded to the accepted ideas about the masculine and feminine type. Against the background of globalization processes, when the traditional family institution is on the verge of extinction, and gender-neutral education is broadly promoted in for-eign media, the study of gender roles and features of gender behavior and education in traditional culture is of great scientific and practical importance.

Gender expression and homonegative episodes in sport among LGB+ athletes

From a historical perspective, sport is considered a male domain and heteronormative societal field. Although societal change has happened, in most sports, male, heterosexual athletes, as well as stereotypical masculine behaviour and appearance are still being privileged. Based on heteronormativity and assumed male physical superiority, mindsets about typical and appropriate gender expression permeate sporting environments. Athletes who do not meet these socially constructed, gendered expectations often experience barriers, exclusion and discrimination. Against this background, the study analyses the prevalence of (non-)conforming gender expression and its relevance for experiencing negative episodes in sport, considering the athletes’ sex and the gender-typing of sports practised. The sample consists of lesbian, gay and bisexual + individuals actively participating in sport in Europe (n = 2232). The findings suggest that gender non-conformity is less prevalent among male than female LGB+ athletes, particularly in stereotypically masculine sports. Significant correlations between non-conformity to socially constructed expectations of typical feminine or masculine expression and negative episodes in sport occur. The results indicate that LGB+ athletes use different strategies to avoid ‘homonegative bias’ and that sport needs to be rethought on individual, organisational and societal levels.

Monalisas Without a Smile: Female Characters in Romanian Cinema between the ‘false feminism’ of the socialist era and the ‘antifeminism’ of the 1990s

Abstract In Romanian Socialist cinema, filmul de actualitate (topical/contemporary/everyday life film) represented a topical genre that was supposed to reflect and legitimize – using the propaganda apparatus – an ideal but fictional society in which the protagonist had to be a hero with exceptional qualities, who reflected and promoted socialist ideology. My paper takes into account cinematic representations of female characters in this genre that reflect the Communist Party’s ideology regarding the role women should play in a socialist society. Once emancipated through work, their social roles changed in the 1970s as they became the symbol of motherhood. I will also discuss the way these representations changed after the fall of the communist regime and how the postcommunist transition highlighted the emergence of a new type of femininity when women were considered exportable goods, a product fitted for the free market.

ГЕНДЕРНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СФОРМОВАНОСТІ ОПЕРАЦІЙНОГО КОМПОНЕНТУ ГОТОВНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ПСИХОЛОГІВ ДО ЗДІЙСНЕННЯ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ КАР’ЄРИ

The article considers the issues of gender identity of future psychologists and relations with the level of formation of the operational component of their readiness for a professional career. Methods of theoretical research: analysis, synthesis, generalization, modeling, grouping, etc.; methods of empirical research: observation, experiment, questionnaire – questionnaire «Professional career of students» (authors – L. Karamushka, T. Kanivets), testing – method «Masculinityfemininity » (S. Bem); method «Diagnosis of behavioral activity strategies» (L. Wasserman, M. Humeniuk), content analysis. According to the results of the study, an idea of the gender composition of the sample of future psychologists was formed: 46.25% – androgynous type of gender identity, 35% - masculine type, 18.75% – feminine type. The reason for the uneven distribution of types of gender identity with a significant predominance of androgynous may be the transformation of modern society and the departure from clear boundaries between gender roles. To study the level of formation of the operational component of the readiness of future psychologists to pursue a professional career, the main indicators were studied: 1) the level of development of their own activity in preparation for a professional career; 2) the level of development of behavioral activity of students of psychology in general.As a result of the generalized analysis of the data received on separate indicators, it is defined that there is a difference in levels of formation of an operational component of readiness for realization of professional career: % and 24.9%) and a lower percentage of low level (20.75% vs. 22.4% and 28.5%). We can explain this by saying that the androgynous type is the most adapted in modern society. In order to function more productively in today’s world, individuals need to have a range of qualities and traits that combine both traditionally female and traditionally male. Significant differences are observed in the indicator of general behavioral activity: in representatives of the androgynous type this indicator is much more formed (high level was recorded in 37.8% of androgynous future psychologists, 20% of feminine and 17.8% of masculine). This means that this part of the sample is characterized by such features as active and focused business, the ability to balance their activities, emotional stability in behavior, relative resilience, good adaptation to different activities, which will greatly contribute to a successful professional career. . In general, the results indicate an insufficient level of formation of the operational component of the psychological readiness of future psychologists to pursue a professional career and the need to improve it. Although, almost the majority of respondents have the potential and reserves to improve various areas of behavioral activity.

4 - Práticas Tradicionais e Direitos Humanos na Sociedade dos Amakhuwa: Estudo de caso da Cidade de Nampula


 
 
 African traditional societies, including the Amakhuwas of Northern Mozambique, developed believes and traditional practices, in the spiritual as well as in the social field, which evolved over time. Nevertheless, the prevalent trend in research relegates such cultures to a role of subordination. This was the case of colonial as well as missionary literature, and it is so in part until today, with the use of paradigms centered into a supposed modernizing approach, which invites ethnic and linguistic groups as the Amakhuwas to leave their practices, in name of the respect of a set of human rights which those practices, would violate. This research, carried out in Nampula city, tries to show that a similar perspective does not consider a universe of values, believes and practices which have to be understood through an “internal” philosophical and anthropological approach. This approach has not to disregard the respect for human individual rights, as well as for collective rights of a group which built its identity on these believes and practices. This research was focused in particular on two interconnected aspects: the social functions of traditional medicine and the initiation rites, especially of feminine type. As a conclusion, this research shows that traditional practices suffered an evolution, in general going towards the respect for human individual rights, differentiating them in accordance with the localization and the social and cultural environment in which they are practiced. Without drawing definitive conclusions, it seems necessary to carry out a deep reflection regarding the relation between traditional practices and respect for human rights inside the amakhuwa society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Laura António Nhaueleque, Researcher at the CEMRI – Open University of Lisbon. Professor of Human Rights, Technical University of Mozambique. Email: lauramacua@gmail.com
 
 

إشكالية التأنيث المجازي في اللغة العربية ومحاولة تعليله

Ta'nitsMajazi(Figurative femininity) is one type of femininity which is a fundamental characteristic of the Arabic language. Recognizing of Ta'nitsMajazi is considered as one of the determinants of one's fluency in Arabic. This is because the majority of words in Arabic cannot be separated from the existence of gender, both male and female. What's more, the Arabs regard even objects as having sex as living things. So they put gender markers on these inanimate objects in a metaphor. This causes the Ta'nitsMajazi to become increasingly difficult to learn and to become more widely discussed until most people (including linguists) suspect that theseTa'nitsMajazi are included in the irregular discussion. So this study aims to make it easier for Arabic language students to recognize and master the Ta'nitsMajazi.

A produção de identidades de género e de classe em dois casinos portugueses: o caso das barmaids e das pagadoras de banca

Being a woman employed in the world of casinos implies the performance of different imaginaries related to “appropriate” femininity. What defines the appropriateness of a certain type of femininity is the nature of the functions performed and wherethose functions stand in the hierarchical structure of the organization. Based on an ethnographic investigation, this article analyzes the contrast between the gender performances of barmaids and croupiers in two Portuguese casinos. We follow a feminist theoretical line based on intersectionality, and conclude that the distinction between the gender performances of the two functions is closely related to social class.