A Femboy usually refers to a male who’s typically young–fond of expressing himself in a feminine way. Moreover, they not only express themselves through softer actions, but also in feminine clothing and wearing makeup.
This gender expression has always been iconic in LGBTQ+ community. Femboys have always challenged the idea of how men have to traditionally behave.
What is a Femboy?
You can easily spot a Femboy when you see an assigned male at birth who’s behaving in a much feminine way. However, they usually still identify themselves as male while being girlish.
So, what characteristics make a Femboy different from other expressions or identities?
- Compared with trans, Femboys identify themselves as male.
- They don’t stick to gender roles that are traditional.
- Femboys can motivate other people to express themselves.
- Femboys can inspire gender expression without fear of judgement.
The Origin of Femboys
The term Femboy started to become popular during the 90s–used as a derogatory term for men who are effeminate. Furthermore, the term was widely used before in history, which encouraged homophobia.
However, at this day and age, Femboys are more accepted and still continue to challenge the traditional mindsets.
In fact, men from Egypt and Japan started the trend of using feminine styles. You can trace back in history how Femboys from these countries started a movement that made the insult become a fashion.
What are the Signs that I’m a Femboy?
If ever you’re curious if you identify as a Femboy, you can ask yourself the following questions to help you explore your true self.
- When shopping, do you find yourself wondering how you’ll look with feminine clothes?
- Are you comfortable expressing yourself in either a feminine or masculine way?
- When you hear something about femininity, does it make you uncomfortable? Or is it the other way around, where you embody both the feminine and masculine aspects?
- Did you already try engaging in communities that can help encourage gender fluidity?
- Does the Femboy culture and values resonate so well with you?
How to Successfully Become a Femboy
To successfully become a Femboy, you can try to consider these steps to help you express your unique identity.
Try to Start Small First
You can start by making some minor changes in your wardrobe. Keep the style that resonates with you and remove the outdated ones. It's spring cleaning and updating your lifestyle in one!
Experiment Using Feminine Clothing and Makeup
During your next shopping session, check out the feminine attire and products you’re curious about. When you get the right clothing for you, it can help you upgrade not only your look but also make you feel good.
Develop Your Confidence in the Process
Build your confidence by opening yourself to nontraditional roles and express your true self without any apology.
Balance the Gender Traits
You can always combine feminine and masculine traits without any strict definitions. So, you can create a balance that’s personal and can suit you perfectly.
Find Your Local Community
Whether personally or online, try to reach out to others with the same interests so you’ll feel more support. The sense of belongingness that you’ll feel can also give you more inspiration in the long run.
How Can You Start to Look Like a Femboy? (Femboy Fashion & Aesthetics)
Femboy usually blends the masculine and feminine styles–that can lead to many versions of fashion. Putting on makeup and nail polish can also play a huge part in looking like a Femboy.
The most common choices of clothing for Femboys can include:
- Wigs
- Jewelries
- Skirts
- Crop tops
- Girly hats
- Scarves
- Blazers
Clothing
For starters, you can go for light fabrics, like something made from cotton or chiffon for a more feminine look. You can also add layers–choose a cardigan or vest to upgrade your feminine look. Moreover, try to choose patterns with floral prints or opt for pastel colors.
Accessories
With accessories, you can combine necklaces and earrings, or even bracelets, that suit your style. You can also choose a much smaller sling bag or backpack that matches the shade of your chosen outfit.
Hair and Makeup
Experiment with longer hairstyles with bangs. You can also dye your hair in vibrant colors if that’s your style. For makeup, make sure to highlight your features that look the most feminine. Start by using a light foundation, accompanied by a natural looking eyeliner, and lipgloss.
It’s Social and Cultural Implications
Nowadays, the influence of Femboy affects not only social but cultural dynamics, especially in pop culture. For instance, the One Direction member, Harry Styles, continues in promoting the acceptance of feminine fashion in men.
For this reason, the Femboy culture helped reduce the stigma against men who express themselves in a more feminine way. Since Femboys started to get exposed in the media, they helped open the doors for acceptance and reduce the discrimination.
Femboy culture has always been challenging societal borders and pushing for a more accepting society.
The Role of Social Media for Femboy Culture
Today, social media continues to become a medium for stating opinions, creating and reaching communities, and letting people be seen. Here’s are a few reasons why social media can play a huge role for the Femboy culture:
- The visibility of the Femboy culture online resulted in a more in-depth understanding about self-expression. Eventually, the culture is now becoming more and more known to people.
- The community social media provides a place for Femboys to express themselves and connect with people with the same interests.
- Social media puts its subject into light–encouraging understanding and support.
For Femboy culture, online communities and platforms helped it to grow, such as:
TikTok
TikTok is a great place for Femboys to create reels or short videos to show their own fashion, makeup, and daily lives. This video platform also supports Femboys to experiment on their own style, even their personality.
It also gives users unique sounds and hashtags to connect with other users or fans–for Femboys to eventually gain followers.
This social media platform helps Femboys to promote their content by sharing photos of themselves. Instagram can also help them create a look unique to themselves and share it to their followers. The hashtag #FemboyFriday was coined and popularized in April 2014.
Reddit can help Femboys in asking questions, share their own stories, and even give advice to other Femboys. They can also host specific groups (such as r/feminineboys), where they can open some discussions.
Overall, this platform gives Femboys a supportive community interaction.
Self-Expression and Empowerment
The Femboy culture redefined masculinity in the modern times–this changed what society usually expects from men and opened a lot of discussions.
Furthermore, it continues to encourage diversity and normalize the mix of gender expression–with no apologies.
The culture also keeps on challenging gender norms by:
- embracing femininity
- promoting self-acceptance
- challenging the stereotypes
- fighting bullying
All of this while creating a safe space for everyone.
Femboys have always been inspiring society to break free from the toxic masculinity mindset. All of this is made possible by Femboys who are embracing gentleness and vulnerability.
Final Thoughts - The Role of Femboys in Society and Culture
The Femboy culture does not only challenge the usual norms, but also displays a vibrant and free community. Today, the way a Femboy expresses himself using feminine fashion continues to make discussions–in our community and online–about traditional views of modern masculinity.
It’s important for each and everyone to understand that only acceptance of others can create a society with compassion. Once we start to become more aware of our differences, it can create a world where every person can express and accept each other authentically.
FAQs
Are Femboys considered as trans?
Femboys aren’t considered as trans and they acknowledge their masculinity. They’re assigned male at birth, but chose to express themselves in a feminine way by using fashion and makeup. Compared with trans, Femboys don’t identify themselves as a different gender, so transition isn’t necessary for them.
Can Femboy have a girlfriend?
Yes, Femboys can have a relationship with women. They only express themselves by wearing women’s fashion, but this doesn’t determine their sexual orientation. So, they can get attracted to any gender, to women, or even men.
Can Femboys get pregnant?
Femboys are assigned male at birth and typically identify as males. Therefore, they don’t have the needed reproductive organs for pregnancy.
Can we consider a Femboy as a straight person?
Femboys can be straight, gay, bisexual, or any gender. The gender expression they have doesn't necessarily say something about their sexual preferences. While embracing feminine traits, their attraction can still vary, like most people.
Are Femboy Hooters a real thing?
The “Femboy Hooters” is not a place but rather a twist from the traditional theme of the restaurant. This playful theme, where Femboys are the servers, already gained popularity online and among the fans of the culture.
Where can you find Femboy Island?
While you can never find Femboy Island as a real-world location, you can still experience it from many virtual and cultural contexts. For instance, Femboy Farms from gaming environments, ARK servers that lets you interact, and social media and memes–where Femboy Island refers to fictional places in platforms like Tiktok and Reddit.
