This paper presents a critical exploration of the concept of “gendered deviance” and its feminist interpretation in Pakistani women’s travelogues. It also seeks to understand how cultural meaning is constructed within the context of different societies. The central aim of this study is to examine gendered deviance through a feminist lens, to clarify the process of cultural meaning-making across diverse social settings, and to trace shifts in meaning through a comparative analysis of Eastern and Western cultural perspectives. To achieve these aims, the study adopts a qualitative research approach, employing textual analysis within a feminist theoretical framework. Selected travelogues written by Pakistani women are used as primary sources, and are analysed in relation to their cultural observations and gendered experiences. The analysis highlights a clear contrast between the emphasis on individual freedom in Western societies and the importance of collective values in Eastern cultures. This contrast results in differing interpretations of “deviance” across cultural contexts. In some instances, women’s freedom is portrayed as a form of moral deviation, while in others, it is seen as an expression of autonomy, a reconfiguration of identity, and a form of resistance to patriarchal norms.The findings suggest that gendered deviance is neither fixed nor universal; rather, it is a culturally and discursively constructed phenomenon whose meanings shift according to social and contextual realities. Pakistani women’s travelogues, therefore, not only challenge conventional notions of gender identity but also represent women as dynamic, empowered agents who actively construct meaning and negotiate their own identities.

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