femboy
/FEM-boy/noun
Meaning
A femboy is a person, usually a young man, who presents themselves in a conventionally feminine way through clothing, makeup, hairstyle, mannerisms, or overall style. The word describes gender expression rather than a specific sexual orientation or gender identity, and some nonbinary people also use it as a self-label.
- 1. A male person whose appearance, clothing, or mannerisms are conventionally feminine.
- 2. A self-chosen label for a feminine-presenting style or online aesthetic, often involving skirts, makeup, thigh-high socks, or other traditionally feminine clothing.
- 3. An insulting label for a man perceived as effeminate, especially when used by someone outside the communities that use the term positively.
- 4. A term that can appear in sexualized or adult contexts, separate from its ordinary use for gender expression and fashion.
Examples
“He started calling himself a femboy after discovering skirts and eyeliner.”
“That femboy outfit is honestly serving.”
“Being a femboy doesn't tell you who someone is attracted to.”
“My femboy era begins with one oversized sweater and better lighting.”
Origin and spread
Femboy is a compound of fem, a shortening of feminine, and boy. The term had circulated online for a couple of decades by 2020, particularly in internet communities, before gaining wider visibility through social-media fashion posts. The related spelling femboi uses boi, an alternative spelling associated with LGBTQ+ usage. The available record does not establish a single certain inventor or securely dated first use.[1]
How to use it
Femboy can be affirming when someone uses it for themselves or when it is used respectfully in a community that embraces the label. It can also sound belittling or offensive when imposed on someone, especially as a synonym for weak, gay, transgender, or sexually available. Do not assume that a femboy is cisgender, heterosexual, gay, nonbinary, or transgender; the term primarily concerns presentation and self-description. It also appears in adult content, so context matters.
