In psychology, sexology, psychophysiology, genderology and some other related fields of knowledge, femininity and masculinity are generally understood as the most common sets of normative somatic, mental, social-behavioral characteristics and characteristics characteristic of the two main biological sexes.
Norm and deviations
It should be noted that in the norm some of the signs of both masculinity and femininity (more often psychological, social and behavioral than in anatomophysiological) may not coincide with the biological sex.
That is, we can observe both female masculinity and femininity in men, without deviations from the chosen gender identity, as well as the fulfillment of sexual and social roles. It's no secret that some men, as well as some women, excel at the activities traditionally defined for the other sex and assigned to this gender.
Such a picture is especially characteristic for developed countries, where the labor and social and public activities may not be directly related to gender (to some extent this also depends on public opinion).
Thus, it can be said that in the fields of knowledge of the social and humanitarian field, the terms masculinity and femininity are conditional stereotypes reflecting the concepts of the complexes of characteristics, of one gender or another.
In different cultures
It should also be noted that some features of masculinity and femininity are transcultural, that is, stereotyped views of different peoples basically coincide. This coincidence proves the correctness of the main provisions
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At the same time, in specific cases (with socio-psychological, ethnographic, anthropological and historical research) the images of masculinity and femininity can have bright and unique characteristics characteristic of a particular race, people or culture, that is, to take an ethnospecific form.
That is why when studying and determining femininity and masculinity, it is necessary to take into account not only the fundamental opposition of sexual roles, but also the point of view with which the evaluation takes place.
It should be noted that the development of the feminist movement contributed to the research of this and the nearest circle of issues.