The Second Sex
"The Second Sex," written by Simone de Beauvoir and first published in 1949, is a foundational text in feminist philosophy that examines women's roles and status in society. De Beauvoir employs various disciplines, including biology, psychology, history, and sociology, to argue that women have historically been positioned as the "Other," which has hindered their intellectual and creative potential. This concept of women as defined in relation to men is central to her critique of traditional gender roles. The book's candid discussions on female sexuality and its challenge to societal norms made it controversial, resulting in its inclusion on the Vatican's list of prohibited books. Despite this, "The Second Sex" has inspired many feminist thinkers, including notable figures like Betty Friedan and Kate Millett, who drew on its themes to advance their own arguments for women’s rights and equality. The work is seen as a critical examination of the systemic inequalities that women face, prompting ongoing discussions about gender and identity.
The Second Sex
Identification Book offering a comprehensive analysis of women’s position in society
Date Translated edition published in 1953
Author Simone de Beauvoir
The Second Sex proved to be the seminal work of post-World War II feminism, profoundly influencing the 1960’s women’s liberation movement and providing the philosophical and theoretical bases for feminist scholarship.
Key Figures
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), feminist author
The Second Sex employed the fields of biology, psychology, economics, history, political science, literature, anthropology, sociology, and philosophy to explore what women’s place in the world is and what it should be. Simone de Beauvoir claimed that women are a disadvantaged group whose status is inferior to that of men because their situation in society has limited their possibilities and prevented the exercise of their intellectual and creative potentials. Central to her argument was the concept of woman as “the Other,” that is, an object defined by the male subject.
Impact
The book was first published in French in 1949; its English translation appeared in the United States in 1953, shortly before the publication of the Kinsey Report’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. It was considered shocking to many readers because its explicit discussions of female sexuality and homosexuality were combined with harsh critiques of traditional sex roles, The Second Sex was placed on the Vatican’s list of prohibited books. Many women found the work inspirational, however, including pioneering American feminist writers Betty Friedan , the author of the Feminine Mystique (1963), and Kate Millett, the author of Sexual Politics (1970).
Bibliography
Fallaize, Elizabeth, ed. Simone de Beauvoir: A Critical Reader. London: Routledge, 1998. Several essays examine de Beauvoir’s work as a feminist, novelist, and philosopher.
Moi, Toril. Simone de Beauvoir: The Making of an Intellectual Woman. Oxford, England: Blackwell, 1994. Biographical account of Simone de Beauvoir’s life and works.