Feminization

Feminization is the process of making something more feminine, sometimes by making it less masculine. This can be literal or figurative.

Feminization in biology

Feminization can be induced by environmental factors and has been observed in most animal species.

Feminization as a figurative transformation

The term can also be used to describe a shift in gender roles and sex roles in a society. Scholar Ann Douglas chronicled the rise of what she describes as sentimental "feminization" of American mass culture in the 19th century, in which writers of both sexes underscored popular convictions about women's weaknesses, desires, and proper place in the world.

Feminization as an alternative lifestyle preference/fetish

As a lifestyle desire or fetish activity Feminization is a person's voluntary transformation from male to female, either physically, behaviorally, or both. This transformation can either be permanent, or temporary. Additionally, this transformation can be something that the male goes through only in private (temporarily - fetish)or in public, temporarily or permanently.

Transgenderism and cross-dressing can be types of feminization, but these are not all inclusive. There are many other feminization type activities such as Hypnotic Feminization and Forced Feminization (See below).

Hypnotic Feminization

For some involved with the practice of voluntary Feminization hypnosis can be a very effective way to allow a person to experience their fantasy or desire. With hypnosis a male can actually feel a physical transformation into a female, or a behavioral transformation, or both.

The physical hypnotic feminization of a male to a female can have the male participant actually feeling as if their body is that of a female, with breasts and female genitals. With hypnosis this physical transformation can be experienced as if it were so real that the participant is actually able to feel their new body, and even see it in a mirror.

The behavioral feminization of a male using hypnosis causes the male participant to actually believe they are a female, act as if they are female, and respond to the environment both actively and emotionally as they would perceive a female behaving. This can even go as far as creating a sexual attraction to males, as they would perceive a female would be attracted to them.

Hypnotic Feminization, both physical and behavioral, can be done so that the male participant can experience the transformation effects on a temporary basis, or a more permanently conditioned basis. When participating in hypnotic feminization on a temporary basis hypnotic "trigger words" can be set for the participant to use, which will cause him to experience the transformation, and cause the transformation to reverse any time he says the words. The transformation may also be set so the effects wear off after a set time period rather than controlled by trigger words.

Forced Feminization as a sexual practice

In erotic and psycho-sexual terms, Forced Feminization (a.k.a. "sissification") is sometimes used to describe the practice, especially in female dominance, of switching the gender role of a male submissive, (see this semi-explicit reference site). However, it is also sometimes associated with sexual reassignment, which may be sought by a transgendered individual. It is usually achieved through cross-dressing, where the male is dressed in female attire, ranging from just wearing female undergarments to being fully dressed in female attire. Some males take on tasks, behaviours and roles that are overtly feminine, and adopt female mannerisms and postures in task such as sitting, walking and acting in a feminine manner.

"Forced Feminization" is when the man is told to put on women's clothes and instructed how to behave and talk. What makes this fantasy difficult to understand is that the submissive male (while pretending to be reluctant) actually wants this treatment.(See the Locked In Lace essay) Their protests and demands for the treatment to stop are often surface deep, while their arousal and deepest fantasies crave the fantasy to continue with even more intensity.This emasculation may be coupled with punishments such as spanking or caning to gain cooperation and heighten submission of submissive male. In practice the man has consented to, if not paid for, the feminization. Probably the most common modern incident of true "forced feminization" is sexual slavery in prisons (although the rate and severity of prison rape is controversial). For this reason it is not uncommon that men with "forced fem" fantasies also enjoy "prison rape" fantasies; although there are some hetreosexual men who only have interest in feminization by women. Additionally, descriptive statistics have shown that many homosexual or bi sexual men enjoy gay pornography, with the single exception being feminization or other scenarios that puts women in the "dominate" role.

Costumes are sometimes very domestic, suggestive of servitude or ageplay. The clothes may be those of a traditional submissive female role, such as schoolgirl, secretary or "sissy" maid. In certain cases the feminized or sissified male can also be restrained in devices such as posture collars, locking high heels, and locking dresses. Traditional bondage restraints may also be used to immobilize the male in helpless and exposed postions or to prepare the male for corporal punishment or anal penetration. Such control techniques are used by the dominant female to impress upon the male his submission to behavior modification and feminization.

Naming may also be employed. Feminization can also be the conversion of a masculine name into a feminine name such as "Stephen" into "Stephanie", "Joseph" into "Josephine" or "Daniel" into "Danielle". Feminization of a masculine name can be achieved by adding an "ie" or "a" to the name though there are several irregular names that can not follow this model such as "Samuel" to "Samantha". In general feminine names end with an ē or au sound. A submissive male may be given a feminine name, designated as "a good girl", or given explicitly female insults, such as "slut" or "whore". The male's penis may also be renamed a clit or clitoris, his anus as a vagina or "hole", while his nipples may be referred to as breasts.

Forced Feminization may also include the male receiving anal sex from a female using a strap-on dildo (sometimes called pegging), Forced Homosexuality, or employing some form of orgasm control, usually through the use of a chastity belt or cage. Alternately, feminized males may be receptive partners in homosexual sex.

See also

• Bottom (BDSM)
• Domination and submission
• Erotic humiliation
• Female dominance
• Forced Homosexuality
• Gender Reassignment Surgery
• Locked in Lace
• Mind control
• Petticoating
• Skoptic syndrome