SARA POURKHARIZI

Kermashan – When did childishness become part of the attractive woman's image? In media and social media, gentleness, weakness, and dependence on others are sometimes presented as desirable feminine traits, raising the question of whether this model is merely a personal choice or an extension of a culture that reproduces women's subordination and limits their independence.

Imagine a grown woman who speaks and behaves like a little child—from using childish words to showing an inability to perform the simplest tasks. Sometimes these behaviors are a conscious choice, and other times they are shaped under the influence of social and cultural patterns. But why has mimicking childhood become part of the image of the "attractive woman" for some women?

Critics of this phenomenon argue that its roots lie in patriarchal culture, which associates femininity with gentleness, weakness, dependency, and obedience, thereby pushing women to reproduce a childish image and distance themselves from independence and self-reliance.

 

When Weakness Becomes a Feminine Trait

Farankis F., a women's rights activist in Kermashan, eastern Kurdistan, says: "If we look at the virtual space or society in reality, we will find a large group of people who keep giving advice that women should not be able to fix devices or do work independently. They push women toward activities that ultimately only increase their dependence on men. These patterns have gradually turned into traits presented as attractive in women—women who must act like children—and this childishness has become a standard of popularity in the eyes of many men."

She added: "But we should not forget that behind this simple appearance lies not only patriarchy, but also a deeper and more dangerous threat. I believe that some men's inclination to establish relationships and connect with children is reflected in these patterns, and it can be said without hesitation that men who desire women who act like children have pedophilic tendencies in their unconscious."

She believes that "by reproducing these patterns, these men try to deprive women of maturity and independence and reduce them to a childish level. This process not only limits women's freedom and abilities but also endangers society because normalizing childishness in women practically paves the way for normalizing pathological tendencies. Therefore, criticizing and resisting these patterns is not merely a defense of women's rights, but also a necessary measure to protect social health and prevent the reproduction of violence and exploitation in society."

The French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir explains in her book The Second Sex how patriarchal society pushes women toward weak, dependent, and need-to-be-guided roles. The infantilization of women is part of this mechanism; media, advertisements, and fashion present the ideal woman as an obedient, low-risk being dependent on men. According to this conception, beauty is transformed into a side of weakness and lack of intelligence becomes a standard of feminine attractiveness.

 

How Does Media Reproduce the Childlike Image of Women?

If we search for a prominent example of this model in the past, we arrive at one of the earliest media stereotypes: the "dumb blonde." This stereotype originated in Hollywood and has been presented since the last century up to today as a symbol of the attractive woman.

One of the most prominent examples of this image is Marilyn Monroe—the actress who, despite more than 60 years having passed since her death, remains a symbol of feminine attractiveness in popular culture.

The media image of Marilyn Monroe presented a woman of extreme beauty, but lacking rational intelligence and completely dependent on male attention. According to the text, this image precisely represents what the patriarchal system wants: an obedient woman, low in intelligence, and at the service of male desire.

This stereotype is merely a small example of a broader process of producing obedient, low-intelligence female characters—characters intended to become behavioral models for women in reality. Over the past decades and up to today, similar models have appeared in cartoon characters, story characters, poetry, advertisements, and even among influencers on social media. Ultimately, these images push women toward a personality that behaves like an obedient little girl and distances itself from maturity and independence.

 

What Is the Patriarchal System's Strategy to Prevent Women's Independence?

Patriarchy no longer relies solely on direct prohibition and restrictions; it sometimes infiltrates through images that appear attractive and natural to women. One of the most prominent of these images is glorifying childish behavior and weakness as part of femininity, which may contribute to weakening women's independence and reproducing their dependence on men. 

Erasure of Women's Autonomy

Mitra Th., a journalist, says that encouraging women toward behaviors that place them in a position of weakness, helplessness, and inability to make decisions has today become deeply ingrained among many women, and this "can be very dangerous." She added that "the patriarchal system has a mechanism that constantly changes its form, returning each time in a beautiful, attractive, and seemingly natural appearance, so that it can once again infiltrate women's minds and behavior."

She added: "If we open any page on Instagram or other platforms today, we will face a wave of men who keep talking about the need for women to have 'feminine energy,' but they do not define this energy as strength, creativity, or independence, but rather as refraining from activities they believe should be the exclusive domain of men—as if men hold an exclusive permit to do important, technical, or decision-making work."

In reality, as she emphasizes, "women should realize that any pattern that distances them from independence, decision-making ability, and empowerment carries within it a clear trace of patriarchy. These patterns may be presented in the form of advice that seems kind, motivational phrases, or even psychological guidance, but their ultimate goal is one: to restrict women and return them to a subordinate, obedient, and low-powered position."

Depriving Women of Independence... The New Face of Patriarchy

Accordingly, it can be said that the spread of encouraging women toward childish behaviors in recent years has deep roots in the patriarchal system. This path is in fact one of the old system's tricks, which—by reproducing it in a modern guise—attempts to use an old but effective weapon once again; a weapon that targets women's independence and, through a deceptive face and a false mask, tries to pave the way for patriarchy to infiltrate the deepest layers of women's beliefs, in order to regain control over their power once more.