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"In my soft girl era" - En kritisk feministisk studie om femininitet inom soft-girl trenden

Kopplin, Frederika LU (2025) GNVK22 20251
Gender Studies
Abstract
This thesis explores how femininity is constructed within the soft girl trend, using Butler’s theoretical framework of the heterosexual matrix and theory of (gender) performativity. By combining digital ethnography, multimodal critical discourse analysis, and a critical feminist perspective, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how femininity is expressed, reproduced and aestheticized in contemporary culture. The findings reveal that femininity is highly performative -portrayed both as an active practice and as an innate trait women ought to reclaim. Three key dimensions through which this construction occurs are: aesthetics, spirituality and self-optimization, personal qualities and(heterosexual)relationships.
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This thesis explores how femininity is constructed within the soft girl trend, using Butler’s theoretical framework of the heterosexual matrix and theory of (gender) performativity. By combining digital ethnography, multimodal critical discourse analysis, and a critical feminist perspective, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how femininity is expressed, reproduced and aestheticized in contemporary culture. The findings reveal that femininity is highly performative -portrayed both as an active practice and as an innate trait women ought to reclaim. Three key dimensions through which this construction occurs are: aesthetics, spirituality and self-optimization, personal qualities and(heterosexual)relationships.
This study argues that through the use of specific aesthetic elements and compelling rhetoric, traditional femininity - within a heterosexual framework - is presented as something highly desirable for today's young women. In reality, the trend idealizes a form of femininity that is normative, excluding and limitative. Furthermore, this study reflects upon the soft girl trend as a post-feminist project, its popularity explained by the promise of stability in a time defined by uncertainty, as well as the limited choices available to women within patriarchal structures. (Less)
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author
Kopplin, Frederika LU
supervisor
organization
course
GNVK22 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Soft girl-trenden, TikTok, postfeminism, den heterosexuella matrisen, performativitet, The soft girl trend, post-feminism, the heterosexual matrix, performativity
language
Swedish
id
9216003
date added to LUP
2025-12-15 08:53:59
date last changed
2025-12-15 08:53:59
@misc{9216003,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how femininity is constructed within the soft girl trend, using Butler’s theoretical framework of the heterosexual matrix and theory of (gender) performativity. By combining digital ethnography, multimodal critical discourse analysis, and a critical feminist perspective, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how femininity is expressed, reproduced and aestheticized in contemporary culture. The findings reveal that femininity is highly performative -portrayed both as an active practice and as an innate trait women ought to reclaim. Three key dimensions through which this construction occurs are: aesthetics, spirituality and self-optimization, personal qualities and(heterosexual)relationships.
This study argues that through the use of specific aesthetic elements and compelling rhetoric, traditional femininity - within a heterosexual framework - is presented as something highly desirable for today's young women. In reality, the trend idealizes a form of femininity that is normative, excluding and limitative. Furthermore, this study reflects upon the soft girl trend as a post-feminist project, its popularity explained by the promise of stability in a time defined by uncertainty, as well as the limited choices available to women within patriarchal structures.}},
  author       = {{Kopplin, Frederika}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"In my soft girl era" - En kritisk feministisk studie om femininitet inom soft-girl trenden}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}