Young Women In Relation Research Articles

The Use of Different Anthropometric Indices to Assess the Body Composition of Young Women in Relation to the Incidence of Obesity, Sarcopenia and the Premature Mortality Risk.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the stratification of young women based on the assessment of body composition according to several currently recommended anthropometric indices and parameters, as well as the presence of obesity, sarcopenic obesity and the risk of premature death. Three hundred and three young Caucasian women aged 18–25 years were included in the cross-sectional observational study. For the purposes of the study, we used the bioelectrical impedance method and applied the obtained data to calculate indices defining obesity, sarcopenic obesity and premature mortality risk (ABSI z-score). We found significant differences between indicators of total and abdominal obesity when determining the rate of risk of premature death and diagnosis of obesity. Our results also suggest that FMI and FM/FFM indices correlate excellently with fat mass and visceral adipose tissue, better than BMI. Even in the case of abdominal obesity, FMI appears to correlate relatively strongly, more so than BMI. The results of the study support the opinion that in the assessment of body composition and health status, the presence of obesity (sarcopenic obesity) and the risk of premature death, anthropometric parameters and indices focusing not only on body weight (BMI, ABSI), but also on the proportionality and distribution of fat (WC, WHR, WHtR, VFA) and muscle tissue (FFMI, SMMI, FM/FFM ratio) should be used.

Freedom through constraint: Young women's embodiment, space and wellbeing during lockdown

Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown restrictions in March 2020, young people were suddenly faced with a reduction and reconfiguration of the spaces in which they could ‘be’. This paper explores how in this lockdown context, young women (aged 10–20) experienced their bodies and wellbeing, where traditional social connections (particularly school and physical connections) were not possible. Based on qualitative responses (n = 511) from an online, open-ended survey on wellbeing, physical activity, body image and social media usage, we explore how a reduction and reconfiguration of space, understood relationally, contributes to an individual's wellbeing. Using abductive reasoning and taking a phenomenological approach, we concentrate on the embodied experience of wellbeing and how this links to the spaces in which the body is lived. We suggest that the removal of spaces during lockdown, which on the one hand can be seen as problematic for maintaining wellbeing, also enabled many young women to experience new connections – with their bodies, family, and the environment and nature, that supplemented previous connections and fostered positive relationships and wellbeing. The removal of specific performative modes of judgement associated with the school environment was a positive influence on many young women's relationships with their own bodies and their wider construction of wellbeing, but increased use of social media spaces were found to reconstitute these performative experiences. The benefits of the specific and newly delimited freedoms associated with the forced lockdown have implications for an understanding of embodied wellbeing that is not individual, instead embedded inextricably in relations of connectedness with others in space and the nature of these intersubjective experiences.

Contamination and Consumption in Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market: A Food Studies Perspective

The aim of this article is to analyse the work of the English poet Christina Rossetti from the perspective of Victorian gender norms directed at girls. In her poem “Goblin Market” Rossetti describes sisters Laura and Lizzie, whose idyllic existence is disturbed by the arrival of sinister goblin fruit sellers. While Lizzie maintains proper restraint, Laura greedily devours the juicy fruits, for which she is punished – she loses strength and sinks into apathy. She is saved only by the sacrifice of her sister, who risks her life to purchase more delicacies and feed them to the weakened Laura. The sisters’ fantastic adventures have been interpreted in various ways, from a story of sin and salvation, to one of food poisoning to an allegory of thecreative process. All these approaches, however, see the eating of sweet fruit as a form of transgression as a result of which Laura is banished from the idyllic self-sufficiency of their small farm, where the girls are not troubled by any sorrows. However, having learned the sweet taste of the fruit, Laura does not want to milk cows, feed hens and bake cakes without a word of complaint. Using the framework of food studies enriched with the tools of conceptual metaphor theory, the article argues that the contamination Laura suffers through forbidden consumption is not presented by Rossetti as unambiguously negative. This interpretation also becomes bolstered by comparing Rossetti’s piece with how other Victorian female writers defined the role of young women in relation to food, including especially the aspect of their apprenticeship to be housewives. In this view, the goblin fruit gains a new dimension: its consumption highlights the oppressive nature of the norms to which young women were subjected in the Victorian era.

Youth Relationships in the Era of COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kenya

BackgroundMeasures to mitigate COVID-19's impact may inhibit development of healthy youth relationships, affecting partnership quality and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study to understand how COVID-19 affected girls' and young women's relationships in Kenya. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression examined factors associated with relationship quality dynamics and SRH outcomes among 756 partnered adolescents aged 15–24 years. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to explore youth perceptions of how intimate relationships changed during COVID-19. ResultsNearly three-quarters of youth described changes in relationship quality since COVID-19 began, with 24% reporting worsening. Reduced time with partners was the strongest predictor of changed relationship quality. Youth experiencing complete or partial COVID-19-related household income loss had heightened risk of deteriorating partnerships (relative risk ratio = 2.43 and 2.02; p < .05); those whose relationships worsened were more likely to experience recent intimate partner violence, relative to no relationship change (20.8% vs. 3.5%; p < .001). Qualitative analysis revealed how COVID-19 mitigation measures hindered intimate relationships, school closures accelerated marriage timelines, and economic hardships strained relationships, while increasing early pregnancy risk and girls' financial dependency on their partners. ConclusionsCOVID-19 disrupted adolescent girls' and young women's romantic relationships, depriving some of partner emotional support and exposing others to sexual violence, early pregnancy, and economically motivated transactional relationships. Increased social support systems, including access to psychosocial services, are needed in low-income communities in Kilifi, Kisumu, and Nairobi, in particular the informal settlement areas, to mitigate COVID-19's consequences on girls' SRH.

Feminism, Islam and higher education: towards new roles and family relationships for young Spanish-Moroccan Muslim women in Spain

ABSTRACT This article examines the lives and family relationships of young women of Moroccan descent in Catalonia, Spain. Based on ethnographic research and life stories, we have found that access to Higher Education has led these young women to a feminist interpretation of the Qur’an. This interpretation allows them to identify as Muslim women while refuting traditional gender roles. The young women surveyed argue that the bases of gender equity can be found in the Qur’an, but are hidden behind misinterpretations that put the role of women in a disadvantaged position with regard to men. Our study evidences that through this reformulation of Islam, in conjunction with a successful academic pathway, they have started to gain a position of authority and recognition within their families, leading to changes in their family roles and relationships.

Experiences of young mastectomised Colombian women: An ethnographic study

ObjectiveTo explore the experiences of a group of young women in relation to the reconstruction of their breasts after mastectomy. MethodFocused ethnography, performed in the League against Cancer- Huila Section (Colombia). Through casual sampling oriented by criteria, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight young women (diagnosed at 45 years or earlier) with breast cancer (reconstructed or not reconstructed after mastectomy) until saturation of discourse. Data collection was carried out between August-November 2017, after the endorsement of the Ethics Committee and the consent of the participants. Data was analysed using the thematic analysis technique after being anonymised. ResultsThree issues emerged in the women's discourses: 1) The social stigma of being a young woman with breast cancer; 2) Learning to live with a body transformed by disease and treatment; and 3) Surviving, which is the most important thing. ConclusionsBeing a young woman, and suffering from breast cancer implies a diversity of changes that permanently alter the lives of women and their bodies. Women prioritise survival in order to take care of others over breast reconstruction. At a healthcare level, the cultural and gender perspective must be incorporated to design individualised nursing interventions that contribute to better care.

Re-conceptualizing embodied pedagogies in physical education by creating pre-text vignettes to trigger pleasure ‘in’ movement

ABSTRACTBackground: Recent critiques of twenty-first century physical education (PE), and by association physical education teacher education (PETE), position the discipline as largely uncontested, unproblematised and uncritical. This critique encourages researchers to re-consider the nature of PE and what it means to move, be moved, value movement or be physically educated. Much literature also supports the claim that young people, especially young women are not as convinced of the value of PE as their teachers are, and hence question the educative or pleasurable value of PE, and the kinds of movement activities it precipitates. As a consequence, prescriptive unimaginative ‘straight’ pedagogies that restrict teacher creativity dominant PE classrooms, giving rise to ongoing exclusions and maintenance of a space where the embodied experience of moving in the world is foreclosed to many young women. This paper engages with the discomfort of change in PE/PETE, alongside the tiresome narrative around the ‘problem’ of/with young women and movement to consider the question, ‘what might an embodied form of pedagogy in PE look like for young women?’Purpose: To address this question the paper empirically and pedagogically rethinks the educative purpose/potential of the discipline for young women in relation to embodied learning and pleasure. By deploying a reconceptualization of Peter Arnold’s notion of ‘in’ movement, the paper offers PE/PETE practitioners practical examples of embodied pedagogies by way of pre-text vignettes with the potential to elicit movement pleasure and meaning, critique taken-for-granted assumptions, and as such enable the lifelong valuing of movement for and by young women.Methodology: This paper begins with a number of claims about the uncontested, uncritical and unimaginative state of PE/PETE and the pedagogical impact of this on learners and educators. This is then anchored to findings from a set of empirical data that explored the concept of embodied learning in the context of ‘fire-fighting camps for girls’. This anchoring is done by using the work of Arnold and others to support an exploration and subsequent development of embodied pedagogies. As such the paper dwells only briefly on the empirical aspects of the data, preferring instead to focus on putting Arnold to work theoretically and pedagogically, arguably a complex task and yet important as his work forms the underlying assumptions of many PETE courses and international PE curricula.Findings: A number of pre-text vignettes in the form of postcards, photographs, videos, a poem, and a letter are shared as stand-alone pedagogical stimulus material that respond to calls to offer alternative, critical and non-normative choices to PE/PETE practitioners and their students. These pre-text vignettes use themes as their starting point and each is accompanied by a brief analysis as well as suggestions for how they might usefully be used as teaching and learning resources in a classroom. Thus, the vignettes pedagogically engage with the discomfort of change in PE/PETE whilst also disrupting the tiresome narrative around the ‘problem’ of/with young women and movement.

Recently formed age-disparate partnerships are associated with elevated HIV-incidence among young women in South Africa.

Cross-sectional and cohort studies draw different conclusions on whether age-disparate partnerships increase HIV-acquisition risk for young women. We investigated whether age-disparities were associated with HIV-infection risk early in relationships. This could result in the exclusion of women who seroconverted during high-risk age-disparate partnerships from cohort studies of HIV incidence - which exclude HIV-positive women - and explain null findings in these studies. Prospective cohort study. We used data on 15-24-year-old, HIV-negative women in heterosexual partnerships (N = 830) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The association between age-disparate partnering (i.e., male partner ≥5 years older) and subsequent HIV seroconversion was assessed using Cox hazard models. We examined heterogeneity in HIV-acquisition risk by duration of partnership (defined by quartiles) at cohort enrolment. During 1139 person-years (mean: 1.4 years) of follow-up, 54 (6.5%) women seroconverted, a weighted HIV-incidence estimate of 4.41/100 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.30-6.06]. HIV-acquisition risk did not differ significantly between women in age-disparate vs. age-similar partnerships (adjusted hazard ratios: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.55-2.21). However, for women in the shortest partnership quartile (<1.09 years) at baseline, risk of HIV seroconversion was higher for women in age-disparate partnerships (adjusted hazard ratios: 3.13, 95% CI: 1.02-9.65, P = 0.047). HIV acquisition was not statistically different by partnership type among women in longer partnerships. The association between age-disparate partnerships and HIV-acquisition risk is evident early in young women's relationships. Results provide a potential explanation for null findings in cohort studies, whose research designs may exclude women in such partnerships, and affirms the elevated risk of HIV acquisition for young women in age-disparate relationships.

Recruiting young women to weight management programs: Barriers and enablers.

Recruiting young women to weight management research programs is difficult. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the barriers and motivators that influence participation and to explore effective methods of recruitment from the perspective of young women with obesity living in both urban and regional areas. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information from focus groups. The interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed qualitatively. Eight focus groups, which included a total of 27 women, were conducted. Participants had a mean age of 29.1 (±5.1) years and a mean body mass index of 35.8 (±2.9) kg/m2 . The barriers to participation were multifaceted and largely similar across urban and regional participants. Fear of judgement and uncertainty about the process were major psychosocial barriers. A lack of tailoring of program content was an important program-related barrier. Physical barriers such as time commitment, cost and access were discussed extensively, particularly in urban groups. The provision of incentives and the use of positive language that focusses on the benefits of the intervention were viewed positively. Physical and virtual methods of recruitment were identified as potentially effective provided they were presented in media that this group is likely to use and can access in a private location. The results of this study provide a greater understanding of the challenges faced by young women in relation to participation in weight management programs and some of the potential methods that could be utilised to facilitate participation.

Changes in total choline concentration in the breast of healthy fertile young women in relation to menstrual cycle or use of oral contraceptives: a 3-T 1H-MRS study

BackgroundTo evaluate changes in total choline (tCho) absolute concentration ([tCho]) in the breast of healthy fertile women in relation to menstrual cycle (MC) or use of oral contraceptives (OC).MethodsAfter institutional review board approval, we prospectively evaluated 40 healthy fertile volunteers: 20 with physiological MC, aged 28 ± 3 years (mean ± standard deviation; nOC group); 20 using OC, aged 26 ± 3 years (OC group). Hormonal assays and water-suppressed single-voxel 3-T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) were performed on MC days 7, 14, and 21 in the nOC group and only on MC day 14 in the OC group. [tCho] was measured versus an external phantom. Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman coefficient were used; data are given as median and interquartile interval.ResultsAll spectra had good quality. In the nOC group, [tCho] (mM) did not change significantly during MC: 0.8 (0.3–2.4) on day 7, 0.9 (0.4–1.2) on day 14, and 0.4 (0.2–0.8) on day 21 (p = 0.963). In the OC group, [tCho] was 0.7 (0.2–1.7) mM. The between-groups difference was not significant on all days (p ≥ 0.411). All hormones except prolactin changed during MC (p ≤ 0.024). In the OC group, [tCho] showed a borderline correlation with estradiol (r = 0.458, p = 0.056), but no correlation with other hormones (p ≥ 0.128). In the nOC group, [tCho] negatively correlated with prolactin (r = -0.587, p = 0.006) on day 7; positive correlation was found with estradiol on day 14 (r = 0.679, p = 0.001).ConclusionsA tCho peak can be detected in the normal mammary gland using 3-T 1H-MRS. The [tCho] in healthy volunteers was 0.4–0.9 mM, constant over the MC and independent of OC use.

Young women: between the "green tide" and the decision to have an abortion

The work analyzes the characteristics, arguments and conditions of possibility present in the gender activisms carried out in recent years by young women in Argentina, with special attention paid to the generational mark they imprint onto the collective demands and struggles for legal, safe and free abortion. The article reconstructs some of the social and personal circumstances at the base of the motivation or the decision of a group of young women to carry out an abortion with misoprostol, with the purpose of exploring concretely the support networks and the information circulating among these young women in relation to the practice of medical abortion, at a time in which access to this right has not yet been legally instituted in the country. We are interested in putting these realities in dialogue with a broader context of female youth prominence in these demands, condensed in the expression "green tide" and in the idea of a "cultural battle" that has already been won socially.

Does this fit my style? The role of self-congruity in young women’s repurchase intention for intimate apparel

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of actual and ideal congruity in predicting the repurchase intentions of young women in relation to inconspicuous fashion items. Design/methodology/approach The research focussed on a non-luxury intimate apparel brand, typical of daily use and private consumption. Regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 308 young female consumers to identify the effect of actual and ideal congruity in determining repurchase intentions. A cluster analysis based on actual self-concept was employed to develop a typology for consumers. Findings Unexpectedly, the findings revealed that ideal congruity is a stronger predictor of repurchase intentions than actual congruity. Further, based on actual self-concept, three profiles of young women emerged: active romantics, self-assureds and reliables. The clusters differed in relation to perceptions of brand personality and the effect of self-congruity on repurchase intentions. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted using participants from one university in Northern Italy. Thus, the main limitations of this study relate to sample size and selection. Additionally, this study only investigated the perceptions of young women. Practical implications This study suggests that non-luxury intimate apparel items, typical of daily use, are not merely functional purchases, but reflect young women’s self-expression motives. Accordingly, fashion marketers should focus on consumers’ ideal self-concepts to develop effective promotion strategies. Further, specific dimensions of brand personality should be considered in relation to the different clusters. Originality/value This study shows that repurchase intentions towards inconspicuous non-luxury fashion items are explained more by self-esteem motives (i.e. ideal congruity) than self-consistency motives (i.e. actual congruity).

Do young women engage in greater sexual risk behaviour with biological fathers of their children?

ObjectivesQualitative research suggests that young women's relationships with the biological fathers of their children (BFRs), known colloquially as ‘baby daddy’ relationships, enable risk for pregnancy and STI/HIV. Our study compared...

The rise and fall of ‘girlsdrinkdiaries.com’: Dilemmas and opportunities when creating online forums to investigate health behaviour

This paper explores the potential dilemmas and opportunities for setting up online discussion forums when undertaking research on health-related behaviour. It draws on the setting up of a website called ‘girlsdrinkdiaries.com’ which sought to understand young women's relationship(s) with alcohol and their feelings about drinking and drunkenness. I reflect on how the use of virtual space may allow for more liberated and ‘free’ talk about sensitive topics in health, yet at the same time may create a voyeuristic and potentially abusive environment. In doing so, I explore the ultimate demise of the website and therefore the potential problems of utilising online methods. I suggest that researchers need to carefully mitigate and negotiate harm when considering such methods, whilst also acknowledging how participants themselves resist and negotiate risk in virtual places.

The impact of a breast cancer diagnosis in young women on their relationship with their mothers

BackgroundFor young women with breast cancer mothers might either be a source of support or of increased stress, depending on the premorbid relationship and on the psychological effect of the daughter's diagnosis on her mother. ObjectivesTo examine the effects of a breast cancer diagnosis on young women's relationships with their mothers and the possible support needs of these mothers from the daughters' perspective. Patients and methodsWe developed and pre-tested a self-administered questionnaire on 10 survivors of breast cancer diagnosed ≤ age 40. Then, consecutive recurrence-free young women diagnosed with breast cancer were asked to complete the modified questionnaire. ResultsOf 110 daughters approached from July/11 to May/12, 90 (82%) participated. In 11 cases (13%), the daughters had turned to their mothers before approaching anyone else. Of the 83 daughters who disclosed their diagnosis to their mothers, 76 (92%) stated their mothers had been emotionally and/or practically supportive, and 43 (54%) reported that the breast cancer diagnosis had a favorable impact on their relationship with their mothers. Of the 35 employed mothers, 26 had taken time off from work to support their daughters. Nineteen mothers, eight of whom had been living in a different country, had slept over or moved in with daughters during their treatment. Twenty-two daughters believed their mothers felt responsible to some extent for their developing breast cancer. Fifty-nine daughters indicated that health care professionals could help mothers by providing information pamphlets, education sessions, and linking to support groups. ConclusionMothers are an important source of support for young daughters with breast cancer, with the mother–daughter relationship frequently becoming closer after the diagnosis. However, the practical and emotional burden on mothers appears to be high. Future studies should address the effects of a breast cancer diagnosis in young daughters from the mothers' perspective, and the benefit of formal supports for these mothers.

“I've Devoted My Entire Life to My Daughter—and She Knows It”: Exploration of Identity Development Among Now-Adult Navajo Native American Adolescent Mothers

In 1992 (n = 21) and 1995 (n = 8), the principal investigator collected data from 29 reservation-residing Navajo Native American teenage mothers. A primary goal of the 1992 and 1995 investigations (Time 1) was to examine the identity status of the young women in relation to commitment to the maternal role using Marcia's (1980) framework. Results revealed that an approximately equal number of participants could be classified as achieved, moratorium, foreclosed, and diffused (see Dalla, 2000). In 2007 (Time 2), the principal investigator returned to collect follow-up data at the Navajo Reservation, where she interviewed 21 (72%) of the original 29 women. Using a qualitative research strategy, the primary goal of this investigation was to examine developmental trajectories of participants’ identity status in relation to four significant life domains (i.e., maternity, intimate relationships, work/occupation, and culture). The frequencies of the identity achievement status were higher at Time 2 than at Time 1, and this identity status was also more stable than the other statuses. Findings supported the expectation that presence in the identity achievement status would be positively associated with well-being, whereas the identity diffusion status has a negative association with such functioning. The authors discuss suggestions for continued research and application of findings.

Prevention of sexually transmitted infections among girls and young women in relation to their HPV vaccination status

Having been vaccinated against the human papilloma virus (HPV) may affect other behaviours related to sexual health. This study assessed knowledge and behaviour relevant to the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among girls/women aged 14-23 years in relation to their HPV vaccination status. From November 2008 to February 2009, 328 girls/women from the Rhône-Alpes region were recruited by general practitioners and completed a self-administered questionnaire. In all, 316 of the 328 respondents provided information on their HPV vaccination status: 135 (42.7%) had been vaccinated (51.2% of girls aged 14-16 years, 44% of women aged 17-20 years and 18.9% of 21-23-year-olds). Knowledge about HPV and the Pap smear was poor overall but greater in those who had been vaccinated: vaccinated 14-16-year-olds were significantly more likely to know the aim of the Pap smear than those not vaccinated (72.7% vs. 41.3%, P < 0.001), and vaccinated 21-23-year-olds were more likely to know about the need to continue Pap smear screening, despite vaccination (60.0% vs. 25.6%, P = 0.06). Irrespective of vaccination status, >80% cited condoms as a means of STI prevention and >85% of those who were sexually active used them. No difference was observed between vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups regarding requests for HIV serology, history of abortions or emergency hormonal contraception. Knowledge about cervical cancer prevention was better among those who had been vaccinated against HPV than among those who had not. Knowledge and behaviour relevant to STI prevention seemed appropriate whatever the respondents' vaccination status.

77. Provider Perspectives on Counseling and Provider-Client Relationships With Young Women Seeking Family Planning Services

To explore how providers' perceptions on young women's relationship status and life experiences shaped their counseling approaches and communication with female clients attending family planning clinics.

Evaluation of taste acuity by the filter-paper disc in Japanese young women: the relationship with micronutrients status.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the taste acuity in Japanese young women in relation to their micronutrient status. Thirty-eight healthy young women (mean age; 21.3, range; 19-27 years) were enrolled. Gustatory thresholds were estimated for four basic tastes: sweet (sucrose), salty (sodium chloride), sour (tartaric acid), and bitter (quinine hydrochloride) by a filter-paper disk method. Various concentrations at each taste were serially scored from disc number 1 (lowest) to number 5 (highest). The lowest concentration at which the quality of the taste was correctly identified was defined as the recognition threshold. The mean of three measurements for each test on three different days was calculated. We divided our participants into normal taste and hypogeusia groups based on the mean threshold disc numbers, <=3.5 and >3.5, respectively, according to previous literature using the same method. We also measured serum concentrations and dietary intakes of micronutrients including zinc, iron, copper, and selenium. The numbers of participants belonging to the hypogeusia group were 24 (63.2%) for sweet, 19 (50.0%) for sour, 17 (44.7%) for bitter, and 16 (42.1%) for salty taste. Although the hypogeusia group exhibited significantly lower serum iron concentrations, except for the salty taste, the other three micronutrients concentrations did not show any association with the four taste acuities. Dietary micronutrient intake did not show any association with the four taste acuities. This study indicates that in addition to zinc status, iron status should be considered in the study of taste acuity.

‘It is a colour thing and a status thing, rather than a gender thing’: Negotiating difference in talk about feminism

Young women's rejection of feminism is well-recognized if seemingly paradoxical. Based on 40 qualitative interviews with a diverse group of German and British research participants, this article adopts a performative approach to enhance our understanding of young women's relationship with feminism. First, the article argues that rejections of feminism as anti-man, lesbian or unfeminine should be read as performances of femininity. Second, the article regards performances of femininity as racialized and classed. It traces how race and class are assumed in talk about feminism and examines how young women's positionings intersect with feminist dis-identification. The construction of feminists as unfeminine, for example, posed particular challenges to women who were positioned at a distance from notions of ‘respectable femininity’ because of their class background. While the relationship between young women's positionings and stances towards feminism is not predetermined, the article investigates how gender identity, sexuality, race and class matter in engagements with feminism.