Feminine Mystique

This is the start of my history paper series. I hope you enjoy!

Many women throughout the years have been vital tools into women equality and rights. While some sought to gain voting rights, some women wanted more than just the “housewife” lifestyle. Betty Friedan recognized this, and set out to reshape the views towards women’s rights. She quickly will become one of the most effective leaders in that movement.

Friedan was born in Peoria, Illinois on February 4th, 1921. As a student, she graduated Smith College with a bachelor’s degree. She studied for psychology at the University of California, but instead went to New York to marry her husband, have three children and write small articles in women’s magazines. Her articles helped contribute to her husband’s income.

After her first child, she returned to work. But according to The Christian Monitor, she, “lost her job when she was pregnant with her second” (Biography). While raising her children, she experienced what she would call the “feminine mystique” (Women’s). Not happy with her suburban life style, she was curious to know if other housewives felt the same way.

In 1957, she put together a series of questions and sent them to her college classmates. She found out that the majority, like her, were not happy with the lifestyle that they were living. After five more years of more research, she put all of her findings into a book she called The Feminine Mystique. She began her book by it as, “the problem that has no name.” She also wrote, “The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years in the minds of American women. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries…she was afraid to ask even of herself the question—‘Is this all’” (Women’s).

The book quickly became a hit, selling three million copies. It also gained national recognition. It also became one of the most influential non-fiction pieces during that time. And it rebelled against the myth that women wanted to be happy homemakers. It would become the first step in Friedan’s big picture.

In 1966, Friedan co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) and she became its first president. The organization was to help work the way to future women’s rights. It was successful in achieving many new advantages for women. It helped with the involvement in the civil rights act. It also helped prevent discrimination against a woman’s marital status and age. It also worked towards the Equal Rights Amendments. It led towards Friedan participating with many other organizations involving women’s rights (Women’s).

Betty Friedan could be considered one of the leading women to help contribute to women’s rights. Her death wasn’t until 2006, so she was able to see her progress up to present rights that women now have. She is known as, “reshaping of American attitudes toward women’s lives and rights”, and, “one of contemporary society’s most effective leaders.” (National) So it makes us wonder where women’s rights would be right now if people like Friedan never took a stand and sought the rights they rightfully deserved.