‘Femboy’ Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on September 4, 2024 by Isabella Claire

The slang term “femboy” is used quite frequently on all social media sites and you may even see it elsewhere as well. Chances are you may even see it in national advertisements since these characteristics have been embraced and celebrated in recent years. If you are wondering exactly what “femboy” means and your search led you here to this page, then you are in luck.

Femboy Meaning

  • The term “femboy” is internet slang used to describe a male who presents or identifies as feminine. It is a combination of “feminine” and “boy,”
  • It typically refers to a young, androgynous-looking male who may dress in a style that is traditionally associated with women, such as wearing makeup, skirts, or dresses.
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Femboy Meaning – Created by 7ESL

What Does Femboy Mean?

A Femboy is a term used to describe a person, typically a male, who presents themselves in a way that is traditionally considered feminine. This can include clothing, behavior, mannerisms, or makeup associated with femininity, while the individual identifies as male or masculine. The term is often used in LGBTQ+ communities and internet culture to describe men who embrace and express femininity without necessarily identifying as female or transgender.

The term “femboy” is used to describe someone who is cisgender, but who do not adhere to the norms of masculinity. Cisgender means that a person identifies themselves as the gender they were born with. “Femboys” are generally considered gay by most of the population because most times they like to wear makeup and dress in a feminine manner. However, this is not true. Despite their fashion choices, most males considered to be “femboys” are not often gay.

Thus, it is important to note that the term “femboy” is not a sexual orientation, but rather a gender expression or presentation. While some people who identify as femboys may also identify as gay, bisexual, or queer, others may identify as straight or any other sexual orientation.

Origin of Femboy

The slang term “femboy” originated in the 1990s. It originated as a derogatory term to describe boys or males who were inherently masculine with more feminine qualities or who present themselves in a more feminine manner for non-sexual purposes. The word was made by combining a shortened version of the word feminine “fem” and “boy” meaning a male.

By 2013, the popularity of this term had grown and had become a popular search on many porn sites, leading to their own category on most sites. After its popularity as a term had grown, the phrase was adopted by the LGBTQ+ community and changed to “femboi” to represent young boys with the characteristics previously mentioned. Generally, the term is no longer considered derogatory, but this highly depends on the context it is used in.

Other Meanings

There are currently no other known meanings of the slang term “femboy.”

Example Conversations

A text conversation between two friends.

  • Friend 1: Did you see the new kid in school today?
  • Friend 2: Yes, I did. He is very nice.
  • Friend 1: Such a femboy though!
  • Friend 2: I don’t see anything wrong with that. I mean its 2019 after all.

An online conversation between two users on Instagram.

  • User 1: (posts a picture of himself) Completely happy in my skin!
  • User 2: As you should be! You are a handsome femboy!

Related Terms to Femboy

  1. Androgynous – A person whose appearance or characteristics are a blend of masculine and feminine traits.
  2. Gender Nonconforming – Describes someone whose gender expression does not conform to traditional gender norms; femboys may fall under this category.
  3. Effeminate – A term used to describe a man or boy who exhibits behaviors, mannerisms, or styles traditionally associated with femininity.
  4. Crossdresser – A person, often a man, who wears clothing traditionally associated with the opposite gender; femboys may cross-dress but do not necessarily identify as such.
  5. Non-Binary – A gender identity that does not fit strictly within the categories of male or female; some femboys may also identify as non-binary.
  6. Twink – A term used within the gay community to describe a young, slender, often boyish-looking gay man; there can be overlap between “femboy” and “twink,” but they are not synonymous.
  7. Genderqueer – A term for people who reject traditional gender distinctions and may present in various ways that do not align strictly with male or female norms; femboys can be genderqueer.
  8. Sissy – A term used in various contexts, sometimes derogatorily, to describe a man who is perceived as weak, timid, or feminine; in some subcultures, it is used positively or playfully.
  9. Femininity – A set of attributes, behaviors, and roles traditionally associated with women and girls; femboys embrace aspects of femininity in their expression.
  10. Drag – The art of dressing and performing in exaggerated or theatrical styles of the opposite gender; while femboys may wear feminine clothing, they are not necessarily performing drag.
  11. Queer – An umbrella term for people who do not conform to traditional norms regarding gender and sexuality, which can include femboys.
  12. Soft Boy – A term used to describe a man who exhibits gentle, sensitive, and non-aggressive traits, often associated with traditionally feminine qualities.

Alternatives to “Femboy”

There are several words that you could use in place of the slang term “femboy.” Some of the words that you could use instead include:

  • sissy
  • wimp
  • femboi
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13 thoughts on “‘Femboy’ Meaning, Origin and Examples”

  1. I think transmasculine person could be a femboy.
    since their partially a boy or fully, they can wear feminine clothes and be one

    obviously not a transfem can be one

  2. from what ive heard it was originally used against trans women/fems to invalidate their identity by saying they arent a women they are just a feminine boy or a man in a skirt

    • Not correct. It has nothing to do with trans or LGBTQ. Sometimes the trans communities try to claim anything that isn’t “cis white straight male” as their own, or make it seem transphobic/homophobic if it doesn’t perfectly align with their political goals.

      The term Femboy started to spread around in the 1990s, thanks to the Japanese culture spreading to the world.

      It became famous because of certain manga, and the anime depictions, where lots of characters were designed to be the Femboy type.

      The “Weeb” culture started to call them Femboys due to the fact that in certain anime you cant even tell if the main character is a boy or a girl.

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