Journals Proceedings

International Journal of Social Science and Human Behavior Study

Gender Identity of Androgynous Female: A Perspective of Intersubjectivity

Author(s) : SHYH-NAN LIOU, SZU-YIN LI

Abstract

The androgynous females in this research are defined as ‘an individual who not only identify herself a nontypical female, owning femininity and more masculinity than most of female in current society, but also feeling unaccommodated with current gender categories, pursuing a her own identity actively.’ First, participants are interviewed about androgynous identities and life experiences, and researcher’s participation of becoming an androgynous female personally helps to gain more insights. Secondly, the interview contents are analyzed based on the approach of intersubjectivity, including three types of influences on participants. Type 1: How do androgynous females think most people’s perceptive to a typical woman? This responds can manifest how social norm expect to a typical female. Type 2: How do androgynous female think most people’s perceptive to an androgynous female? The responds show that androgynous females’ difficulties and dilemmas in daily life from their close family and society. Type 3: How do androgynous female think androgynous females’ perceptive to an androgynous female? The answers manifest androgynous females’ identities actively, and what they expect to themselves. Results show that androgynous females still modify their behaviors unconsciously to make themselves accepted in society. They often negotiate themselves with social norm, striking a balance between what they want to be and what society expect them to be. Thus, consumption dilemma and conflict happened in their life experiences, which can manifest the ideology of beauty in society. The meaning of beauty is strongly linked with femininity, which means ‘good’ unconsciously, and it finally becomes an important standard of evaluating women, which means those who can get married are better. Finally, androgynous female is a challenge of not only female stereotype but also androgynous female stereotype are concluded. Those differences between them and others are the important factors to construct their identities. Even though they are often struggle with the social norm, it is the main way they are not obedient to the hegemony, trying to against social norm actively and personally. The current research is helpful for understanding androgynous females and gender culture, expanding more possibilities of gender concept, applying reflections to improve a more genderfriendly environment.

No fo Author(s) : 2
Page(s) : 191 - 197
Electronic ISSN : 2374 - 1627
Volume 2 : Issue 2
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