---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If anything has made men more effeminate…"
description: "\"“If anything has made men more effeminate in the past half-century, it's been the running feminist critique of masculinity.”\" — Jack Donovan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png"
---

#  If anything has made men more effeminate in the past…

![“If anything has made men more effeminate in the past half-century, it's been the running feminist critique of masculinity.” quote by Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png)

> ““If anything has made men more effeminate in the past half-century, it's been the running feminist critique of masculinity.””

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Critiques of masculinity have made men appear more effeminate over recent decades.

**In simple terms:** Feminist critique has softened traditional male image.

Key Takeaway

Recognize diverse expressions of gender.

Themes

gender masculinity culture identity

Mood

reflective critical

Type

analytical commentary

When to use this quote

- media analysis
- personal identity
- social discourse

Key Concepts

social critique gender studies

Questions to Reflect On

- How does critique affect self-perception?
- Can masculinity evolve without loss?

A Different Perspective

May overlook positive aspects of traditional masculinity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Critique Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critique-masculinity-4851008/) [Effeminate Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effeminate-past-4851009/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist Critique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist-critique-2645397/) [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Running Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-feminist-4851010/)

## Related quotes

> [There's a feminist critique of Muslim Arbitration Tribunals, which I'm certainly not unsympathetic to, because as I keep saying, I come from a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-a-feminist-critique-of-muslim-arbitration-tribunals-which-i-m/)

[Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/)

> [“Whatever one thinks of the feminist critique in particular, it underscores an important general lesson. For those who feel and are marginalized, the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-o-sargentich/whatever-one-thinks-of-the-feminist-critique-in-particular-it/)

[Thomas O. Sargentich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-o-sargentich/)

> [Relieved of moral pretense and stripped of folk costumes, the raw masculinity that all men know in their gut has to do with being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/relieved-of-moral-pretense-and-stripped-of-folk-costumes-the-raw/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [“The natural gods of men are other men, mythic or real, who embody manhood in men's eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/the-natural-gods-of-men-are-other-men-mythic-or-real-who-embody/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [“No matter how exotic or seemingly different another man is, there's always some reflection of self in another male.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/no-matter-how-exotic-or-seemingly-different-another-man-is-there-s/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [“Until you can function as a competent member of the group and carry your own weight, you are a supplicant and a drag on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/until-you-can-function-as-a-competent-member-of-the-group-and-carry/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [In terms of men being feminist allies, it's just important to speak from your own place. I'd love to hear men singing about masculinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/in-terms-of-men-being-feminist-allies-it-s-just-important-to-speak/)

[Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/)

> [I think masculinity is bravado against the mystery of the universe of women. It's just a fear of not knowing what women have that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/i-think-masculinity-is-bravado-against-the-mystery-of-the-universe-of/)

[K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/)

> [“Literature is the haven of fluidity, of slippage from one character to another, of movement. Women tend to read far more novels than men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-phillips/literature-is-the-haven-of-fluidity-of-slippage-from-one-character-to/)

[Anita Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-phillips/)

> [... the majority of colored men do not yet think it worth while that women aspire to higher education… The three R's, a littlemusic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-julia-cooper/the-majority-of-colored-men-do-not-yet-think-it-worth-while-that/)

[Anna Julia Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-julia-cooper/)

> [In colonial America, the father was the primary parent. . . . Over the past two hundred years, each generation of fathers has hadless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/in-colonial-america-the-father-was-the-primary-parent-over-the-past/)

[Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/)

> [All I can do is seek the information that'll make me stronger, that'll help me overcome my toxic masculinity, my male privilege, because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-parker/all-i-can-do-is-seek-the-information-that-ll-make-me-stronger-that-ll/)

[Nate Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-parker/)

> [Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-playing-the-hunky-action-guy-and/)

[Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/)

> [I do think that stand-up comedy in general heavily favors masculinity and so I like to act a little feminine onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-do-think-that-stand-up-comedy-in-general-heavily-favors-masculinity/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [I think there's a lot of scope in broadening the way videogames approach depictions of masculinity, which is still extremely narrow in scope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-druckmann/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-scope-in-broadening-the-way-videogames/)

[Neil Druckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-druckmann/)

## More by Jack Donovan

> [“The natural gods of men are other men, mythic or real, who embody manhood in men's eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/the-natural-gods-of-men-are-other-men-mythic-or-real-who-embody/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [As things get worse and the State seems powerless to help, the State will seem less and less legitimate. People will lose their moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/as-things-get-worse-and-the-state-seems-powerless-to-help-the-state/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [It must be scary to stand up for beliefs also held by Eric Holder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/it-must-be-scary-to-stand-up-for-beliefs-also-held-by-eric-holder/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Violence is the gold standard, the reserve that guarantees order. In actuality, it is better than a gold standard, because violence has universal value.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/violence-is-the-gold-standard-the-reserve-that-guarantees-order-in/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Strength, Courage, Mastery, and Honor are the alpha virtues of men all over the world. They are the fundamental virtues of men because without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/strength-courage-mastery-and-honor-are-the-alpha-virtues-of-men-all/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [“Men cannot be men—much less good or heroic men—unless their actions have meaningful consequences to people they truly care about. Strength requires an opposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/men-cannot-be-men-much-less-good-or-heroic-men-unless-their-actions/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [“Until you can function as a competent member of the group and carry your own weight, you are a supplicant and a drag on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/until-you-can-function-as-a-competent-member-of-the-group-and-carry/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Men of ideas and men of action have much to learn from each other, and the truly great are men of both action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/men-of-ideas-and-men-of-action-have-much-to-learn-from-each-other-and/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Sometimes men pick fights just for something to do-just to feel something like the threat of harm and the possibility of triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/sometimes-men-pick-fights-just-for-something-to-do-just-to-feel/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [When men evaluate each other as men, they still look for the same virtues that they'd need to keep the perimeter. Men respond to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/when-men-evaluate-each-other-as-men-they-still-look-for-the-same/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Without action, words are just words. Without violence, laws are just words. Violence isn’t the only answer, but it is the final answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/without-action-words-are-just-words-without-violence-laws-are-just/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Gay is a subculture, a slur, a set of gestures, a slang, a look, a posture, a parade, a rainbow flag, a film genre,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/gay-is-a-subculture-a-slur-a-set-of-gestures-a-slang-a-look-a-posture/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [White guilt is more of a sanctioned social convention than a genuine emotional experience. It’s a form of theatrical empathy that’s socially and financially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/white-guilt-is-more-of-a-sanctioned-social-convention-than-a-genuine/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Civilization comes at a cost of manliness. It comes at a cost of wildness, of risk, of strife. It comes at a cost of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/civilization-comes-at-a-cost-of-manliness-it-comes-at-a-cost-of/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

> [Violence isn't the only answer, but it is the final answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/violence-isn-t-the-only-answer-but-it-is-the-final-answer/)

[Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

[Explore all 25 Jack Donovan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/)

## More Feminism quotes

> [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/)

[Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/)

[Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/)

> [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/)

[Joseph Joffre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joffre/)

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/)

[Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/)

> [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/)

[Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/)

> [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/)

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

[Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/)

[Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If anything has made men more effeminate in the past half-century, it's been the running feminist critique of masculinity.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jack Donovan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate-in-the-past-half-century-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feminism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate-in-the-past-half-century-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/jack-donovan-23606_feminism_if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate_3014807.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If anything has made men more effeminate in the past half-century, it's been the running feminist critique…” — Jack Donovan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jack Donovan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If anything has made men more...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate-in-the-past-half-century-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/if-anything-has-made-men-more-effeminate-in-the-past-half-century-it/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
