Does the bible truly reference femininity/masculinity of male/female?

[Liese]

The bible references God creating male and female, which are both aspects of his character - but does the bible or God ever mention femininity or masculinity, or refer to those concepts by any other term(s)? By male and female, I understand those to mean how God biologically created our bodies and our biological wiring differently - i.e. body chemistry (different levels of testosterone/estrogen, dopamine, etc), which subsequently causes different brain processing, so that we think different ways in order to complement, representing and operating together in the differing aspects of God, such that men and women require equal value.

But I don't see the bible pointing out socially taught behaviors - femininity/masculinity - that must go along with the biology God created.

The full understanding of what femininity is, based on Wikipedia's definition: "Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered feminine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors." 

The 'attributes' part of the definition of femininity I take to refer to what God physically created, and the resulting behaviors come out of the physical chemistry God constructed in us. But take the 'socially constructed' pieces from the definition; and also take the 'roles generally associated with women' - I believe we are to understand each other's different wiring, because I find that men and women work against those in each other, not recognizing them as aspects of God that they don't have/have as much of - but the social/cultural/role elements seem to hugely muddy up who men and women are 'supposed' to be. 

E.g. masculinity/femininity as social constructions caused toxic masculinity and femininity. Masculinity began defining men as 'masculine' strictly by 'not being like a woman - don't be like a woman, and that makes you a man'. Because that's how men were taught to be masculine, not only are they opposed to exhibiting any characteristics stemming from the subsequent behaviors of women's attributes (which isn't something that men actually need to try not to do/be), but men learned not to understand what really makes a woman female, and were trained not to 'like' the femaleness of women. Men were, however, trained to desire and seek after some of the socially/culturally constructed attributes of women, i.e. cultural beauty, sexiness, etc.
 

Anywho - does the bible tell us what a woman or man are 'supposed' to be like? The question highly interests me, because I'd like to know at core how to really see my husband.
 

[Waggles]

5 hours ago, Liese said:

Anywho - does the bible tell us what a woman or man are 'supposed' to be like? The question highly interests me, because I'd like to know at core how to really see my husband.

Masculinity and femininity may well be social and cultural constructs to a greater degree than mere biology.

Although biology cannot be ignored - testosterone and oestrogen are powerful hormones on biology and emotions.

What is far more important is what we are to be in Christ Jesus - new creations - people transformed by the gospel having a new heart and a new mind > ergo new personalities: 

Ephesians 5:22  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 
23  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Saviour. 
24  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 
25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 
26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 
28  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 
29  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 
30  because we are members of his body. 
31  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 
32  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 
33  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 6:1  Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 
2  “Honour your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 
3  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 
4  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 
24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

A man is called to higher degree of responsibilities both under the OT Law and also in the gospel.

Maleness and being head of the household are not about entitlements to be served or indulged, but about the responsibility of moral and spiritual leadership to one's household (especially to children).

1John 2:15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 
16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 

Here is a clear warning not to love the culture of this world - violence, guns, toxic masculinity, crime, prostitution, hating others ... 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Waggles