What Is the Feminine Genius?

"The Church gives thanks?for all the manifestations of the feminine "genius"?which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all?the fruits of feminine holiness."

So wrote Pope St. John Paul II in his 1988 apostolic letter "Mulieris Dignitatem," ("on the dignity and vocation of women"). Since then, many commentators have discussed the feminine genius, building on the work of John Paul II, which in turn built on the work of philosopher Edith Stein (later Sister, and then Saint, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) and the Venerable Pope Pius XII. These commentators have identified different aspects of the feminine genius—the positive qualities that make women women.

So, What Is the Feminine Genius?

Based on the writings of Edith Stein and Mary Jo Anderson's summary of John Paul II's work on the subject, I've distilled the feminine genius into five aspects: receptivity, empathy, generosity, reflectiveness, and maternity.

Receptivity

We can see our receptivity literally, in our capacity to receive life—but our receptivity is also spiritual and emotional, Anderson wrote, pointing to the woman whom John Paul II described in his 1995 "Letter to Women" as “the highest expression of the ‘feminine genius’”: Mary, our Blessed Mother. When we are receptive, we listen to God’s voice and say “yes” to his will ("Let it be to me according to your word")—and, according to Anderson, we are “personally fulfilled and the community around [us] is blessed by the feminine aspect of the human experience.”

Empathy

Edith Stein wrote that the feminine soul is "fashioned to be a shelter in which other souls may unfold." As women, we are nurturing, sensitive and responsive to other people's needs. We have what she called a "singular sensitivity to moral values and an abhorrence for all which is low and mean" and "ears for the softest and most imperceptible little voices," which we can use as advocates and leaders.

Generosity

Springing forth from our empathy is generosity, which Anderson wrote "makes a woman available for the needs of her community and her profession—needs that go far beyond operational efficiency." In the Gospels, we see that many women supported Jesus' work, with their presence, their prayers, and/or their money. Similarly, women can use our time and treasure to support our community—as well as our workplaces. Our feminine generosity can serve to counteract corporate greed, helping our organizations to serve rather than mindlessly count dollar signs. Without the feminine genius, it’s all too easy for companies to ignore workers’ needs, such as parental leave, or to create products in unethical ways.

Reflectiveness

Edith Stein believed that the woman’s soul is inclined toward quiet and reflection, though she noted that "at first sight, the contrary seems to be true." Just as the Gospel of Luke tells us that Mary took things into her heart to ponder, we can also take even a minute or two at the end of the day to reflect and to pray.

Maternity

The final aspect of the feminine genius is maternity. John Paul II writes often of the "affective, cultural and spiritual motherhood" that women, regardless of whether or not anyone calls them "Mom," have to offer our society. Edith Stein wrote along the same lines: "Let us … refer to the women occupied in communal or national administration and in the Parliament as 'mothers of the people.'"

What the Research Says

Interestingly, the feminine genius is not only a philosophical framework; there is some psychological research to back it up. Korn Ferry research has found that women outperform men in empathy, coaching and mentoring, inspirational leadership, conflict management, and teamwork, among other emotional intelligence skills. A study by Zenger/Folkman found that women excel at "developing others and building relationships." And, a study by Florida International University researchers found that the "preferred leadership style used by women" is transformational leadership, whose characteristics "relate to female values developed through socialization processes that include building relationships, communication, consensus building, power as influence, and working together for a common purpose."

This newsletter will focus on the feminine genius and share examples of how women live it out in the workplace. After all, in the words of Edith Stein, "the singular mission of the working woman is to fuse her feminine calling with her vocational calling and, by means of that fusion, to give a feminine quality to her vocational calling."