This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus utilizing flexures in a display. In some implementations, an electromechanical systems (EMS) device can include flexures that have low stiffness along the axis of motion of a light modulator, and high stiffness in other directions. The flexures may include one or more beams mechanically coupling a MEMS structure to an anchor. The beams may be coupled to a hinge portion, the hinge portion being configured to suppress out of plane motion by the MEMS structure and the flexures. The flexures also may suppress out-of-plane motion using a stiffened portion. The stiffened portion can be mechanically coupled to the hinge portion or at least one beam of the flexure. By varying the cross-section geometry of the stiffened portion, the stiffness of the stiffened portion may be controlled to increase the force required to move the flexure in an out-of-plane direction.