Meaning
What does Femcel mean?
The term Femcel refers to women who feel they are unable, or perhaps undesired, when it comes to sexual attention. These unfortunate ladies believe that their looks fall short of society’s beauty standards, leaving them high and dry in the dating game.
However, there is some debate whether these “Femcels” truly cannot find a mate willing to engage in carnal activities with them or if they simply refuse partners deemed less attractive by societal norms.
To rate one’s attractiveness on this scale (known as the Decile scale) from 1-10 has become commonplace within discussions surrounding “Femcels”; those considered below average often being labeled sub-5s.
Origin
What's the origin of Femcel?
Throughout history, women who have been involuntarily celibate have existed. However, it was British journalist Walter M. Gallichan who first coined this phrase in his 1915 publication “The Great Unmarried.” In it he laments about these unfortunate souls being condemned to a solitary and loveless life bereft of motherhood rights.
Fast-forward almost a century later, and we find ourselves on an online forum called “Loveshy Women,” which dates back to October 22nd, 2004 – considered as the earliest known platform for involuntary celibate females, marking the creation of the “Femcel” archetype.
Spread & Usage
How did Femcel spread?
The term “Femcel” has remained relatively unknown in the 2000s and early 2010s, but it gained notoriety when a subreddit called r/truefemcels emerged in April 2018. This forum was run by male Incels who used offensive memes to mock women they believed couldn’t experience involuntary celibacy.
By June of that year, Urban Dictionary had defined the word and discussions about Femceldom spread beyond Reddit onto platforms like Twitter and TikTok as recently as 2021.
In response to this negative portrayal of females struggling with intimacy issues, a dating advice subreddit for women – r/FemaleDatingStrategy – launched in April 2019. However, their radical views opposing men quickly earned them public backlash, associating them with toxic “Femcel” behavior.
Despite ongoing debates surrounding this topic today where countless online memes continue mocking these struggles faced by some women; there are also support groups available providing forums aimed at helping those experiencing difficulty finding companionship or sexual fulfillment alike!
