Sexuality
What was a Southern belle expected to be seen as sexually?
What is pure, modest and morally respectable?
What three qualities were women expected to have in their appearance?
What is pristine, radiant and youthful?
What could a woman be called if she challenged traditional expectations?
What is she could be called “unladylike” or immoral?
How were women expected to behave in public?
What is they were expected to be soft-spoken, calm, polite, cultured and feminine?
What three qualities was the traditional Southern belle expected to show?
What is elegant, graceful and well-mannered?
Were women encouraged to openly express their sexual desires?
What is no? Women were expected to be sexually restrained and keep their desires private.
Why was beauty important to a woman’s social image?
What is beauty that helped communicate that she was feminine, respectable and desirable?
Name two qualities that could make a woman seem “unladylike.”
What is being independent, outspoken or sexually free?
What does “soft-spoken” mean in this context?
What is speaking gently and politely rather than being loud, aggressive or confrontational?
Why was being well-mannered important for a Southern belle?
What is it showed that she came from a respectable family and understood the social expectations of polite society?
What is the sexual double standard?
What does it mean that men and women were judged differently for similar sexual behaviour, with women usually facing harsher judgement?
How could beauty help a woman attract male attention?
What is being attractive could increase her chances of being seen as a desirable potential wife.
Why could an independent woman be seen as challenging traditional gender roles?
What is women were traditionally expected to depend on men, so independence challenged the idea that men should be providers and protectors?
Why was being “well-mannered” important?
What is demonstrating that a woman was respectable, cultured and properly feminine?
Why was appearance an important part of a woman’s identity?
What is beautiful, youthful and well-presented was connected to being seen as feminine, desirable and respectable?
Why could sexual behaviour damage a woman’s reputation more than a man’s?
What is female sexuality was closely connected to ideas of morality, purity and respectability, so sexual behaviour could cause a woman to be labelled immoral or improper?
How could beauty act as a form of security or protection?
What is attractiveness could help them gain male attention and potentially secure marriage and the social or financial stability associated with it?
How could sexually inappropriate behaviour affect a woman’s social position?
What is it could damage her reputation, respectability and social status, and potentially affect her marriage prospects?
Why were women expected to depend on men for protection?
What is in traditional society, men were often positioned as providers and protectors, while women were expected to rely on them for security?
Why was a woman expected to protect her family’s reputation?
What is her behaviour could affect how her entire family was viewed, so she was expected to avoid gossip, shame and behaviour considered inappropriate
How did controlling female sexuality reinforce women’s traditional position in society?
What is it that pressures women to remain modest, restrained and respectable, discouraging them from openly expressing their desires or challenging traditional gender roles?
What contradiction existed between beauty and sexual modesty?
What is women were expected to be attractive and desirable, but they were not supposed to openly express sexual desire themselves.
How did different expectations for male and female behaviour demonstrate gender inequality?
Men were generally given greater freedom, particularly sexually, while women were expected to be restrained and obedient. Women could therefore face serious social consequences for behaviour that might be accepted from men.
How could expectations surrounding feminine behaviour limit women’s independence?
What is women who were outspoken, aggressive or independent could be considered unladylike, pressuring them to remain quiet, obedient and dependent on men.
How did the Southern belle ideal reinforce traditional gender roles?
What is it encouraged women to be feminine, modest, dependent and submissive, while men were given greater freedom and authority?