Why is weakness equated with "feminine charm"?

I think the heart of your question is why things haven't CHANGED more, in today's world.

WHY these associations are made is obvious, especially in the wake of puritanical history and the odious views of women in some of the big religions, such as Christianity and Islam. We could dissect how these religions and culture came to have such unfortunate views of women, but the question today is why we are having such a hard time purging them, despite our society SUPPOSEDLY getting more "enlightened".

Fact is, conservative elements of society are bucking back hard. Sadly, conservative attitudes seem to be part of human nature, and as long as there are those who will preach them, many will follow. We see it in regards to such views on women, religion and social progress of all kinds.

But what you talk about is something I've noticed for quite a few years, in movies and books.

Because biologically, most women are not as strong as most men, so people see being less strong as being like a woman. I do think you can be strong and still be girly feminine, since there's other traits people associate with being feminine. Even if strong women do lose all their femininity, survival is more important than being "feminine" at the end of the day. The weak don't survive in the natural world.

Most women can defend themselves and still have a significant amount of strength, but I think society and the media might have taken the biology of men and women a little too far.

I see your point in a vague view, but the femenine of a woman foundation that you have based the theory on is more of a judgement of what the females look like. the clothes they wear and their attitudes twards a conflict. this really has nothing to do with feminine qualities, just the old rule of " don't judge a boook by its cover". So my question is does a job and attitude describe feminine qualities?? My answer would be no! even if a stripper gets rated for what she does as a job she still has alot of strong qualities that other women don't! the stregnth it takes and endurance to complete her job is more than half of Americans that sit at home and buy the diet wonder pills. The stregnth to get up and preform in front of a crowd is equal to any performer in showbiz. The stripper that was in the past that paid a top university to recieve her bachelors or masters, and finally give up the dancing for a business suit and defend this country against criminals in our courts of laws, how is she judged?

Moral of teh explaination is if you feel looked down upon in any way its because you did not do something to better a situation. Looks are looks and perceptions are perceptions. Yes, there is still the male barrier of mens only attitude that does not give a woman a chance or her duly earned honor, but to a woman of any attitude, job, beauty, or non-beauty; to get a male barrier thrown in your path should be considered a honor, because you struck fear in them. So my suggestion to a woman that has nmajor issues with this or whom may be currently going through this situation; my advice is simple: "BE BETTER THAN YOU WERE YESTERDAY, AND LEAVE THE PAST FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT TODAY, YOU LIVE FOR THESE PEOPLE TO NEVER FORGET YOU, SO THEY CAN TALK FOREVER!!!!!"

A QOUTE FROM ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS: "Sometimes when people shine too bright, others can,t stand the glare!!"

In ancient past, women were perceived as being weak. For all the modern day advancement, this sentiment is still out there.

As for your Hollywood scenario, it is a prime example of this sentiment which is real. Why? Because it makes money and that is what people pay to see. Do you really think if making the movies with a strong female lead and a weak male to be saved would sell, Hollywood would do it? Well, they simply don't because most people simply won't pay to see that. Otherwise, you would see nearly all the mega summer blockbusters with this theme.

I remember reading an article on the tornadoes in the south where a husband covered his wife with his body and he died. This is what we see in the media. How many articles have you come across where the wife covered the husband with her body and she died?

Because men often like to think of themselves as heroes, as Old's Cool says. And women often like to be saved, like Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel and all the others. Just like in Shrek where they all stand around waiting to be saved, at least until they figure out that no-one is coming to save them.

But it's not always the case. Lara Croft, The Bride, Starbuck and Caprica 6 in Battlestar Galactica, Jean Grey and Storm in X-Men (a few that spring to mind) may be over the top but as characters they're hardly subservient/weak or unfeminine/ugly/sexless.

That's the media for ya. I don't think Hollywood could come up with a fifteen minute short if they didn't have stereotypes to use for material. A woman can be pretty and strong. My girlfriend is athletically built and confident and she can handle herself and she can handle herself without me holding her hand. Sure I'll play the role of protective boyfriend but because it makes me feel good not because she needs me to fight her battles or wipe her butt. She is also very feminine and loving and attentive to my feelings and others feelings. She cries a lot but not excessively but she never cries when she needs to act. She will cry after for sure but not when the pressure is on her to preform. Sure some people (idiots) think powerful women equate to masculine women but I believe many people are starting to realize otherwise.

I have never associated femininity and beauty with weakness and many movies depict women such as these as femmes fatales

You can lure a man to his death utilizing the very charms you speak of - think Odette and Mata Hari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nenn8Vd6Mc

For me feminine charm is more about grace , gentleness , cuteness.

that's only to insecure macho males. strong woman succeed! successful women make men feel inferior

Yes... Take a look in the mirror. Haven't you served in the military?