"It is fatal to be a man or woman pure and simple: one must be a woman manly, or a man womanly"
- Virginia Woolf
About this Quote
This quote by Virginia Woolf talks to the concept that gender roles are not repaired, which it is possible to go beyond conventional gender roles. Woolf is recommending that it is inadequate to merely be a man or a female, but that a person should likewise embody qualities of the opposite gender in order to be fully understood. This concept of going beyond gender roles is a crucial style in Woolf's work, and she frequently explored the concept of gender fluidity and the concept that gender is a social construct. Woolf's quote motivates us to believe beyond traditional gender functions and to accept the idea that gender is not fixed, but rather something that can be explored and revealed in a range of ways. By accepting this concept, we can develop a more inclusive and fair society.