--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [U]ntil feminists work to empower…" description: "\"“[U]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it away from the insipid, inferior meanings that plague it - weakness, helplessness, fragility, p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg" --- # \[U\]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it… ![“[U]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it away from the insipid, inferior meanings that plague it - weakness, helplessness, fragility, passivity, frivolity, and artificiality - those meanings will continue to haunt every person who is female and/or feminine.” quote by Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg) > ““\[U\]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it away from the insipid, inferior meanings that plague it - weakness, helplessness, fragility, passivity, frivolity, and artificiality - those meanings will continue to haunt every person who is female and/or feminine.”” [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues feminists must reclaim femininity from negative stereotypes, empowering women to define their own identities. **In simple terms:** Reclaim positive femininity. Key Takeaway Challenge harmful stereotypes about women. Themes feminism identity empowerment Mood determined hopeful Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - activism - education - media representation Key Concepts gender studies social critique Questions to Reflect On - How can you support positive femininity? - What stereotypes need most confronting? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted cultural narratives is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empower Femininity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empower-femininity-1819289/) [Feminine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine/) [Femininity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/femininity/) [Femininity Pry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/femininity-pry-1819291/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminists Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminists-work-1819290/) ## Related quotes > [“No form of gender equity can ever truly be achieved until we first work to empower femininity itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/no-form-of-gender-equity-can-ever-truly-be-achieved-until-we-first/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [There are many feminists who work in the media, and they think that feminism is very important. It is in their own lives, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-are-many-feminists-who-work-in-the-media-and-they-think-that/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“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/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without traveling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/never-did-the-world-make-a-queen-of-a-girl-who-hides-in-houses-and/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“To find and keep love today, you have to learn the mystery of seduction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/to-find-and-keep-love-today-you-have-to-learn-the-mystery-of-seduction/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [The misnamed "feminine" woman, so admired by her creator, man - the woman who is acquiescent in her inferiority and who has swallowed man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gould-davis/the-misnamed-feminine-woman-so-admired-by-her-creator-man-the-woman/) [Elizabeth Gould Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gould-davis/) > [“A society where feminine beauty is defined not by the human self on genuine intellectual and sentimental grounds, but by a computer software on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/a-society-where-feminine-beauty-is-defined-not-by-the-human-self-on/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Scent is such a powerful tool of attraction, that if a woman has this tool perfectly tuned, she needs no other. I will forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/scent-is-such-a-powerful-tool-of-attraction-that-if-a-woman-has-this/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“I’d loved women who were old and who were young; those extra kilos and large rumps, and others so thin there was barely even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/i-d-loved-women-who-were-old-and-who-were-young-those-extra-kilos-and/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [I think when we start to understand what masculinity and femininity is, then men won't fear so much the feminine side coming out. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-drake/i-think-when-we-start-to-understand-what-masculinity-and-femininity/) [Hamid Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-drake/) > [Men insist that they don't mind women succeeding so long as they retain their "femininity". Yet the qualities that men consider "feminine" - timidity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gould-davis/men-insist-that-they-don-t-mind-women-succeeding-so-long-as-they/) [Elizabeth Gould Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gould-davis/) > [The eternal feminine draws us on high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-eternal-feminine-draws-us-on-high/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“It takes embodying your true sensual nature to actually be in your true femininity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/it-takes-embodying-your-true-sensual-nature-to-actually-be-in-your/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“What a face this girl possessed!—could I not gaze at it every day I would need to recreate it through painting, sculpture, or fatherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/what-a-face-this-girl-possessed-could-i-not-gaze-at-it-every-day-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) ## More by Julia Serano > [In trans women's eyes, I see a wisdom that can only come from having to fight for your right to be recognized as female,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/in-trans-women-s-eyes-i-see-a-wisdom-that-can-only-come-from-having/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“Male pride is not really about pride. It's about fear - the fear of being seen as feminine. And that's why "girl stuff" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/male-pride-is-not-really-about-pride-it-s-about-fear-the-fear-of/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“See, we live in a phallus obsessed culture, where we're all brought up to believe that everything having to do with gender and sexuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/see-we-live-in-a-phallus-obsessed-culture-where-we-re-all-brought-up/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Many of us reject all of the inferior meanings and connotations that others project onto femininity - that it is weak, artificial, frivolous, demure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/many-of-us-reject-all-of-the-inferior-meanings-and-connotations-that/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [I am rather disturbed by the fact that so many people—who are neither medical professionals nor trans themselves—would want to hear all of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/i-am-rather-disturbed-by-the-fact-that-so-many-people-who-are-neither/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less valid or natural than others because of their sex, gender, or sexuality; it occurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/sexism-occurs-when-we-assume-that-some-people-are-less-valid-or/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“Alliance-based activism begins with the recognition that we are all individuals, each with a limited history and experiencing a largely unique set of privileges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/alliance-based-activism-begins-with-the-recognition-that-we-are-all/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [My parents were exclude from rights as farm workers, though that has to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/my-parents-were-exclude-from-rights-as-farm-workers-though-that-has/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [The hardest part has been learning how to take myself seriously when the entire world is constantly telling me that femininity is always inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/the-hardest-part-has-been-learning-how-to-take-myself-seriously-when/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Be happy when you don't notice that you're getting old, it means you have had a great life so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/be-happy-when-you-don-t-notice-that-you-re-getting-old-it-means-you/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Fetishes are literally viewed as fake forms of attraction. The fetish concept is used to delegitimatize attraction to any and all bodies that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/fetishes-are-literally-viewed-as-fake-forms-of-attraction-the-fetish/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Life has taught you many things, and the people close to you want you to have a good future, but it isn't their future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/life-has-taught-you-many-things-and-the-people-close-to-you-want-you/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“No form of gender equity can ever truly be achieved until we first work to empower femininity itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/no-form-of-gender-equity-can-ever-truly-be-achieved-until-we-first/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“The thing that always impresses me about human beings is our diversity. Even when we are brought up in similar environments, we still somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/the-thing-that-always-impresses-me-about-human-beings-is-our/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“It is offensive that so many people feel that it is okay to publicly refer to transsexuals as being “pre-op” or “post-op” when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/it-is-offensive-that-so-many-people-feel-that-it-is-okay-to-publicly/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) [Explore all 33 Julia Serano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) ## More Feminine quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“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/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The time has come for us to understand that the Eternal Feminine is the greatest power in this Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/the-time-has-come-for-us-to-understand-that-the-eternal-feminine-is/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/what-makes-a-gay-icon-is-someone-who-possesses-both-masculine-and/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [Men often joke about this assignment (I Peter 3:7): 'Who can understand a woman?' God has answered the question loud and clear. You can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/men-often-joke-about-this-assignment-i-peter-3-7-who-can-understand-a/) [Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) [Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) [Browse all 1,148 Feminine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[U]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it away from the insipid, inferior meanings that plague it - weakness, helplessness, fragility, passivity, frivolity, and artificiality - those meanings will continue to haunt every person who is female and/or feminine.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julia Serano" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-femininity-and-pry-it-away-from-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feminine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-femininity-and-pry-it-away-from-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/julia-serano-16814_feminine_u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-feminin_2586024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[U]ntil feminists work to empower femininity and pry it away from the insipid, inferior meanings that plague…” — Julia Serano", "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": "Julia Serano", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“[U]ntil feminists work to empower femininity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-femininity-and-pry-it-away-from-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/u-ntil-feminists-work-to-empower-femininity-and-pry-it-away-from-the/#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 } } ] } ```