Femininity and masculinity or one's gender identity (Burke, Stets and Pirog-Good 1988;
Spence 1985) refers to the degree to which persons see themselves as masculine or feminine
given what it means to be a man or woman in society. Femininity and masculinity are rooted in
the social (one's gender) rather than the biological (one's sex). Societal members decide what
being male or female means (e.g., dominant or passive, brave or emotional), and males will
generally respond by defining themselves as masculine while females will generally define
themselves as feminine. Because these are social definitions, however, it is possible for one to be
female and see herself as masculine or male and see himself as feminine.