Femininity isn't a bad word—it's just a misunderstood one.
Some brands shy away from what could be conceived as ultra-feminine marketing (here's looking at you, green M&M who no longer wears high heels) while others lean too heavily into archaic and gender conforming stereotypes around femininity (pink! hot pink!). And society still tries to equate all things feminine to frivolity or a female's physicality.
While it's impossible to ever fully, accurately pinpoint "femininity"—part of what makes it so wonderful is its ever-evolving, nuanced, and individualized definitions—we wanted to get a more wholistic view of how real women interpreted the concept, giving them the chance to redefine it in their own terms.
Over the course of Women's History Month, Marie Claire posed the question, "What does femininity mean, to you, in 2022?" to a host of notable women we interacted with. From Malala Yousafzai, activist and author of Podium on Bulletin; to Sarah Michelle Gellar, actress and The Little Market Council Member; to Gwen Stefani, singer and founder of beauty company GXVE; and many more, here's what we heard.
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As Marie Claire’s Entertainment Director, Neha oversees and executes strategy for all editorial talent bookings and culture coverage across the brand's print and digital entities, including covers, celebrity profiles and features, social takeovers, and video franchises as well as handles talent relations for MC's flagship summit, Power Trip. She's passionate about elevating diverse voices and stories, loves a hot-take, and generally hates reboots. She's worked in media for more than 10 years and her bylines about pop culture, film & tv, and fashion have appeared on Glamour, Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, Brides, and Architectural Digest. She is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.
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