Which term denotes the set of attributes and behaviours associated with girls and women?

• A. Masculinity
• B. Gender Roles
• C. Stereotypes
• D. Femininity

Answer: (D)

Femininity describes the socially constructed attributes and behaviours that are traditionally associated with girls and women. It captures how a culture expects females to look, act, communicate, and relate to others, with definitions that can vary across cultures and over time. This is distinct from masculinity, which covers traits linked to men, and from gender roles, the broader expectations about behavior based on gender that can apply to both sexes. Stereotypes are oversimplified beliefs about a group, which can shape perceptions of femininity but aren’t the term for the set itself.