In the book’s famous opening lines, she writes, "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman," highlighting the social construction of gender roles and the oppression of women. By arguing that gender is not biologically predetermined but socially imposed, de Beauvoir laid the groundwork for much of modern feminist theory. The Second Sex continues to be influential, despite the controversies it raised in its time, particularly in regard to its critique of the traditional family and the roles of motherhood.
De Beauvoir’s Feminism
De Beauvoir's feminism was radical for its time, advocating for women's liberation from oppressive structures, including marriage, domesticity, and traditional gender roles. Her work laid the foundation for second-wave feminism, which emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, and influenced figures like Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer, and many others who sought to address systemic inequalities between the sexes.
De Beauvoir’s ideas were not limited to theory; she was also an active participant in feminist activism. In the 1970s, she supported the French feminist movement, particularly the legalization of abortion, which led to the passage of the Veil Law in 1975. Her activism was rooted in the belief that women’s liberation could only be achieved through systemic social, political, and economic changes. shutdown123