Halberstam Among the Victorians: Applying 'Female Masculinity' to 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Vanity Fair' Molly McAtee College

Can masculinity be applied to genders other than male? This is a question posed and answered in Judith Jack Halberstam’s Female Masculinity, published in 1998. In this book, Halberstam discusses the appearance and characteristics that are applied to masculinity and how these factors have been limited to the male gender. The author argues against this and claims that masculinity is not a synonym for maleness and that it should represent anyone that fits the description of characteristics, regardless of that individual’s gender. To strengthen her argument, Halberstam uses modern day films and pop culture references that prove that females can be masculine, as well as how males can lack masculinity. While this helps develop her point and shows the lasting impact of this sexism, Halberstam neglects to show the historical side of the conversation and how far back this issue really goes. She also has a strong focus on the physicality of female masculinity without delving too deeply on the inner masculine qualities that females can exhibit. Therefore, while Halberstam thoroughly analyzes the appearance of female masculinity in modern culture, one should also consider the personality aspect of the subject and the history of it, which...