To help guide my research, I’ve pulled together the following definitions:

Feminine behaviours and traits
According to Paustian-Underdahl et al. (2024), women in their study were rated higher than men in leadership styles that focus on being democratic and participative. Women also showed strengths in encouraging intellectual growth, building strong relationships, and leading with ethics and care—things like showing moral leadership and treating people as individuals (Badura et al., 2018; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2024). These kinds of behaviours—often described as communal—are friendly, emotionally open, focused on others, and aim to build social connection and support others’ development and wellbeing (Heilman & Okimoto, 2007; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2014, 2024; Schlamp et al., 2020).

Femininity
This refers to the behaviours, qualities, and characteristics that society usually links with women. These traits are often seen as the opposite of what is considered masculine, which is associated with men (Butler, 1990, 2025; Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005; Hoskin, 2017, 2020; Hoskin & Blair, 2022; Schippers, 2007).

Masculine behaviours and traits
Men are generally linked to agentic leadership styles—these include being more autocratic, directive, focused on tasks, and maintaining control. Agentic behaviours also include assertiveness, dominance, competitiveness, and a focus on structure and performance (R. Connell, 1987; R. W. Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005; Badura et al., 2018; Deng et al., 2023; Nicol & Mayrand Nicol, 2024; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2014, 2024; Schlamp et al., 2020).

Masculinity
Like femininity, masculinity includes traits, behaviours, and roles that society tends to associate with men. These are seen as separate from the traits associated with women (Butler, 1990, 2025; Connell, 2005; Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005).

Representation
In feminist terms, representation means more than just being present. It’s about how women, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, are seen, heard, and included in institutions, leadership, and decision-making spaces. Feminist scholars look at how power, gender, and identity shape who gets access to what roles, and how often femininity is pushed aside in public and professional life (Enloe, 2015). Cultural ideas about femininity and masculinity play a big part in this, often limiting women’s visibility and participation (Butler, 1990, 2025; de Beauvoir, 1949). In public service, representation also means the makeup of the workforce reflects the population it serves (Hsieh & Winslow, 2006).

Servicewomen
For this research, I use the term servicewomen to refer to all women who are currently serving or have served in the military, no matter their rank.