Femininity proper
1. Does "femininity proper" mean "women's decency"?
2. Does "a baby substitute" mean "the woman will substitute her desire for the father with her desire for a baby"?
Context:
The girl’s entry into sexuality by way of Oedipus has her becoming aware of her own inferiority (Freud’s term) on seeing the father’s penis. She is envious and has three responses: frigidity, the flight from sexuality; denial and adoption of a masculinity complex, which for Freud would be going against femininity proper, but is common nowadays, given women’s access to equal rights and to professions formerly denied them; and femininity proper, which is the Oedipal move towards desire for the father and the resultant desire for a baby substitute.
Top answer
catttt 1. Does "femininity proper" mean "women's decency"? No.
- catttt 1.
- Does "femininity proper" mean "women's decency"?
- No.
- proper n.
- "Being within the strictly limited sense, as of a term designating something: the town proper, excluding the suburbs.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
catttt1. Does "femininity proper" mean "women's decency"?
No.
proper n. "Being within the strictly limited sense, as of a term designating something: the town proper, excluding the suburbs. (AHD)
catttt2. Does "a baby substitute" mean "the woman will substitute her desire for the father with her desire for a
0"Femininity proper" here apparently means the traditional female role in society.
The term "baby substitute" usually means a pet, like a dog. A childless woman who has adopted the traditional female role in society will often have such a "baby substitute."
0
Related Questions