Why do people think feminists can’t be feminine?

Because feminism frightens a lot of people, and challenges their programmed prejudices, whether they are male or female. The masculine lesbian gibe is simply using caricature instead of thought, the lazy person's answer to challenge. It's like men calling 'sensitive' men poofters. Lash

I've always thought it was a result of the 70s. Not that every woman was the stereotypical way, but a huge movement of bra burning and haircutting made it seem as though women were attempting to be more masculine, not necessarily more independent. As a result the women against the movement became more feminine and "old school" resulting in this huge division of perspectives. So it's a stereotype that has unfortunetly stuck that feminists are lesbian bra burning angry broads in tool belts. I suppose these women were more secure in their views and more vocal, which drew the attention away from the ones who walked the middle of the road, not the extreme.

I think feminists get a bad reputation because the most vocal members are often the way you've described. In college, any seminar on any topic (no exaggeration, even primatology) had at least one woman who could pinpoint exactly how the topic at hand is really just another form of men suppressing women. Any comment made by a male student could be subject to analyzation, and a lecture from a female about how that response is "so typically male". I'm a woman, and I love women!! We ARE different from men, believe it or not... There are physical differences, mental differences, etc. We are no worse or better than men. So the feminists who insist women are the same as men also get me, why deny what makes you unique in order to score points? For that matter, whose keeping score?? I consider myself a humanist, I want all people to be treated well. At the same time, recognize the differences! And absolutely NO coddling. I will never assume a woman was treated poorly as a result of discrimination, I will accept it if the facts lead that way, but I would never assume it!