What is it that makes a woman a woman?

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(this is a reversal of that classic question of "what is it that makes a man a man"?)

is it her physical traits?

is it her helplessness to act or defend herself againts an instance of rape or violence?

is it her ability to think twice more often than men?

is it her ultimate passion to express herself in ways men could never do?

I know that some of my questions may suggest that I may have misconceptions about women but, since I am a male-to-female transgender, I am trying to figure out this very question so that I can have more clarity in my pursuit of becoming a woman.

Thank you.

I don't think it is any of those things, or any stereotypes. I think it's simply that she identifies as a woman.

yes



That's wrong and disgusting and creepy.



I don't know what that means.



No. Men can also passionately express themselves. Also, some women do not have that passion. Women are individuals.


Ultimately, IMO, a woman is an adult human with XX chromosomes. I support the right of other people to be regarded as women, as long as they are not seeking to infringe on the privacy and safety of others, but I don't believe such people actually ARE women.

I don't know, you're born a woman and that's about as much as you have in common with other women, to me its not any one thing. Maybe a few years ago it would have been acceptable to answer the question with stereotypical descriptions, but those answers wouldn't have been accurate then either. Maybe the answer is decided by the society in which she lives, or it might be defined by herself, if she has that freedom.

No, and that's really not something you should aspire to.

It's a genetic thing. XX.

But I don't mind if someone wants to identify as female.

Perhaps it is a Fantasy?

I think the ability to give birth.

What about women struggling with infertility?

By this definition, post-menopausal women aren't women. Nor are ladies with fertility problems. Nor are virgins or females who have always used birth control, as their ability to give birth is untested.
Not a good definition.

Her mental and/or emotional connection to the female sex.

...I think.

I have actually struggled with this question many times.

Trans-inclusionary male feminist checking in.

I think the current thinking is that "woman" is the definition of your sex (what parts you have) and "female" is the definition of your gender (what sex you feel like inside). And "orientation" is what sex you're attracted to. I think.

If you've already made the decision to transition, I don't quite understand the question, since you've already decided based on your personal criteria that you're a woman. Are you trying to figure out how to fit into society as a member of the opposite sex? How to be more attractive to a potential partner?

In the Western world (this doesn't apply for members from India or Southeast Asia), we live in a society with a gender binary. A woman, then, is identification with the female end of that if we're speaking socially. So, identification/comfort with traits considered "feminine" over and above traits considered "masculine" and female archetypes over male ones, to the point of ingraining it as one's identity.

If we're speaking biologically, things get fuzzier. In that case it would be lacking a Y chromosome. This is medically relevant and socially irrelevant, considering babies born with ambiguous genitalia will be raised as one gender or the other rather than androgynously.

So did I have my terms flipped? Woman is more of a gender term and female is the biological (sex) term?

Yes.

'Female' can actually be used to refer to gender or sex, but I think it usually refers to sex.