- Virility
Virility refers to any of a wide range of masculine characteristics viewed positively. It is not applicable to women or to negative characteristics. The
Oxford English Dictionary (OED1) says virile is "marked by strength or force." Virility is commonly associated with vigour,health , sturdiness, and constitution, especially in the fathering of children. In this last sense, virility is to men as fertility is to women. OED1 also notes an obsolete use of "virile" in this sense for a "nubile" [OED] young woman — "a maide that is Mariageable or ripe for a Husband, or Virill." [Hexham , "Manbaer", 1648.]The word itself is derived from the
Latin word "vir" meaning simply "man" (in a gender specific sense). The German for "virility" is "Manneskraft" — the strength of a man.Historically, masculine attributes such as beard growth have been seen as signs of virility and leadership (for example inancient Egypt and Rome). [harvnb|Schiebinger, Londa|1993.]As a term for positive reference, "virility" does not accord with
feminism s that put forward variousdeconstruction s of masculinity. [Sheryl Plant, [http://www.thefword.org.uk/features/2006/02/deconstructing_masculinity 'Deconstructing Masculinity',] "TheFWord.org.uk", updated 11 February 2006.] According to these points of view, "virility" is redefined as an outdated abstraction, impacting negatively on women via unwanted sexual activity, and unwanted pregnancies. [Gail Kligman, [http://books.google.com/books?id=JhkImAIcqCMC&pg=PA249&lpg=PA249&dq=virility+%22unwanted+pregnancy%22&source=web&ots=zyxMPtFmwF&sig=vlaveNbCWxFRzOIKpdTvN_-UYtY "The Politics of Duplicity: Controlling Reproduction in Ceausescu's Romania",] (University of California Press , 1998), p. 249.]ee also
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Muliebrity References
Further reading
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Schiebinger
Given1 = Londa
Year = 1993
Title = Nature's Body
Publisher = Beacon Press
Location = Boston, Massachusetts
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