The Feminine Mystique

The clear, forceful, and inspirational words that document the means of repression of women that came to fruition in the post-war era of the 1940s and 1950s. Friedan’s work stands out today as a clear historical record of what was and what could be again and should never be. Certainly, women’s right to lead a fulfilling and happy life like any man, continues to be a battleground in many parts of the world, but the progress sparked by Friedan and her subsequent work pushed the battle line in the right direction. The book outlines the post-war societal enshrinement of the “feminine mystique", an image of women that perpetuated the idea that true fulfillment for women could only be found through their dedication to housework, marriage, and raising children. Friedan argues that this limited point of view was the root cause of the rise of depression, related forms of mental illness, and substance abuse in women and that placing limits on any segment of society was holding back that society as a whole. Structurally, she places the blame on capitalistic exploitation of women’s desire to find fulfillment in a role that was sexualized and intellectually limited, on religion for perpetuating a structure that keeps women in a servant role, and on a legal structure that allows corporations to make hiring and salary distinctions purely on gender. That’s just a sample - there’s so much more. The work is not done. The feminine mystique persists today, and though lessened in potency, still holds many women back from becoming the most fulfilled versions of themselves. I read The Bell Jar ahead of reading this book to sample the brilliance and beauty of Sylvia Plath’s writing and to witness a woman crushed by the injustice inflicted on women during the postwar era. The combination of these books read back to back brings home the tragedy that befell a generation of women who were shackled by the trappings of the feminine mystique.

Beautifully written and insightful, The Feminine Mystique is also surprisingly relevant 60 years after it was published. Betty Friedan’s exasperation with women being treated as if “biology were destiny” will feel very contemporary when, for example, a debate about abolishing no-fault divorce is brought up in the news. Each chapter can be read mostly on its own. Some of the discussion will feel dated (such as her critique of Freudian psychoanalysis). But most of it will feel alive and kicking today. She is writing at the peak of the baby boom and sees it as a mixed blessing. Man this is a great book.

A classic, and a must read for every feminist! I bought this book for a book club. I bought the actual book and also the audiobook read by Parker Posey. It was interesting to discuss what has changed and what rights we are still fighting for.

In the Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan put a spotlight on the hidden, yet immense problems women faced during the 1950’s. Her work propelled the stagnant women’s rights movement into its second wave and helped women reclaim some equality. Despite focusing on the seemingly small problems of middle class white women, the legacy of the book has paved the way for more universal movements towards equality. Readers interested in the history of women’s rights and the progress that has been made should pick up a copy. Friedan does a great job explaining the context of her writing to contemporary and modern readers. She makes a compelling case that the status of women initially improved during World War II, but then reverted as men returned from the fight. Her perspective is quite unique. As a magazine writer she’s able to show the changing opinion of society vocalized through the media. By counting the number of magazine articles that portray women as empowered individuals, Friedan is able to quantify this ideological shift. In this context Friedan pointed out that something was wrong. She recognized that women lived in a tiny sphere of influence and led unfulfilling lives. She argued that “we can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: ‘I want something more than my husband and my children and my home’”. After the book’s release in 1963 it spent 6 weeks on the New York Time’s best seller list and sold 1.4 million copies. This goes to show how much her message resonated. The book also made me think about the experience of my grandparents in a new way. While the book is progressive in one area, readers should beware of its regrettable comments about homosexuals, mental disease, and concentration camps. Friedan argues that house-wives smother their children with love, preventing them from growing up. This leads to promiscuity and homosexuality, which “is spreading like a murky smog over the American scene”. As well, she brazenly makes the comparison that women “are in as much danger as the millions who walked to their own death in the concentration camps”. This argument only made me contrast the relatively small plight of women with the immense inhumanity of the holocaust. Finally, she implies that schizophrenia and autism in children are the result of mothers over accommodating their kids. These passages are not worth reading. Despite the book’s flaws and age, it’s still significant today. Women’s equality has advanced greatly in the last half century, yet they still face similar challenges. Jobs with the highest proportion of female workers are still nurses, school teachers, social workers and other traditional roles according to U.S. DOL 2010 figures. The arguments of the Feminist Mystique are still valid. Buy this book if you’d like to better understand how the role of women has evolved and continues to change.

Currently reading. Can't put this book down!

I am a boomer. I distinctly remember in the 60’s standing up in class and responding Scientist to the question in class as to what career I wanted and being told by my teacher that wasn’t possible. I was informed by her that women could be teachers, nurses, secretaries or stewardesses (but only if they were pretty and single) Poor dear. She was a product of this mindset. Fortunately I didn’t listen to her and I had the support of parents who reinforced the idea that women are just as intelligent as men. I recommend this book for the generations that came after us so that they can understand the mindset of our generation and the previous generations and understand just what we went through to get where we are today.

If you've enjoyed the TV Series Mrs America or Mad Men, you should read this book. Friedan's classic reveals in detail the plight of middle class women in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s - educated and clever but consigned to the drudgery of domesticity because of the expectations of the society in which they lived and which many of them internalised themselves. Based on meticulous research and interviews, Friedan also bare the shocking waste of talent, the ennui of trapped housewives eking out the housework to fill up the time and the trauma and mental breakdown this often engendered. Although an academic text in many ways, Friedan's writing style is engaging and the book is a enthralling and absorbing as a good novel. A must read for anyone interested in feminism, American history and culture and the work of this remarkable writer.

In the fifties, after the first feminist wave of the beginning of the twentieth century, and after the great women’s move toward the factories of the Second World War, suddenly, women were expected to go back to the kitchen. Context: the economy was booming, there were enough jobs for everyone, even women, and home appliances could replace 90% of the housework women used to have to put in. So basically, just at the time in history when the concept of housewife was being rendered obsolete, and should therefore have disappeared - and women had already fought to be considered man's equal - there was a massive counter-revolution in the western world, led by the experts and the industries, telling women that, yes, they were equal, but different from men, complementary to men. And had to stay at home. The feminine mystique is the term used by the author to describe the way the media and the experts were sublimating the role of women as housewives and mothers in order to force women back inside the homes, just when they were increasingly becoming more educated, and therefore could not be told they were inferior to men and couldn't work. At a time when you really didn't need someone doing housework full time (thanks to the new technology of dish-washer for instance) an new ideology (but really just a variation of a sexist principle) was created to convince women that they would somehow harm their children and their husband’s career if they didn't stay at home and take care of this huge suburban house. So in fact, women were bored to tears, with almost nothing to do around the house, but were consistently and systematically being guilted out into doing more and more nonsensical chores such as making their own bread, sowing their children’s clothes, waxing the floor 4 times a week, changing the sheets to times a week, etc. And the industries and the marketers were getting huge profits from women’s spare time (to shop!) and their sensation of emptiness that could easily be manipulated into buying something nice for the house. Betty Friedan, a house-wife herself, a women's magazine writer, and a psychologist by training, was really the only person who could have told this story, the whole story, this way. She had a theoretical and psychological perspective from her academic training, a professional experience of the work place where the mystique was being created, and a personal experience of the reality behind the mystique. And she did a ton of research. This book is comparable in quality to Beauvoir’s “Second sex” and is just as relevant today as it was in the fifties. Because this mystique continues to harass psychologically so many women today who feel guilty working once they have children or who quite their job when they have kids because they think that’s the only way to do right by their family. I was deeply moved, understanding the cynical roots of the mystique around childbirth, breast-feeding, motherhood and impeccable homes for one’s children…and understood my mother and my grandmother so much better after reading this book.

Classic read.

Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" is a groundbreaking exploration of women's roles and expectations in mid-20th century America. In this seminal work, Friedan challenges the prevailing notion of fulfillment through domesticity, shedding light on the dissatisfaction experienced by countless women trapped in the confines of traditional gender roles. With clarity and conviction, Friedan advocates for women's liberation and the pursuit of meaningful lives beyond societal expectations. While some arguments may feel dated, the book's core message remains relevant and empowering. "The Feminine Mystique" serves as a catalyst for societal change, inspiring generations of women to question and challenge gender norms. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the history of feminism and the ongoing struggle for gender equality.

Il testo è parte delle letture obbligatorie per conoscere il femminismo storico statunitense e per comprendere la cultura femminista che su questo si è formata nel mondo.