The 1963 publication of The Feminine Mystique challenged the prevailing domestic norms of the 20th-century United States, identifying an unspoken dissatisfaction among suburban women. This work served as a primary catalyst for the second wave of American feminism, establishing the author as a central figure in the social and political movements of her era.
Early Education and Political Development
Born in Peoria in 1921, Betty Friedan attended Peoria High School before enrolling at Smith College. She graduated summa cum laude in 1942, having studied psychology and gained recognition as a Phi Beta Kappa member. Her academic trajectory continued at the University of California, Berkeley, where she pursued graduate research alongside Erik Erikson. During this period, she engaged with Marxist circles and developed an early interest in labor politics.
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Before her transition to influential social criticism, Friedan worked as a journalist for various labor union publications. From 1943 to 1946, she contributed to Federated Press, subsequently moving to the United Electrical Workers' UE News, where she remained until 1952. Following her dismissal from the union press, she pursued a career as a freelance writer for mainstream publications, including Cosmopolitan.
Mobilizing the Women's Movement
In 1966, Friedan co-founded the National Organization for Women and served as its first president. Her activism extended to the 1970 Women's Strike for Equality, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment. She was also a founding member of the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 and campaigned extensively for the Equal Rights Amendment, while simultaneously helping to establish the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws.
Intellectual Legacy
Friedan authored six books throughout her career, maintaining an active role in political advocacy until the late 1990s. Beyond her debut, she wrote The Second Stage in 1981, which critiqued certain extremist factions within the feminist movement, and The Fountain of Age. She received the Humanist of the Year award in 1975 and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993. She died in Washington, D.C., in 2006.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, Peoria
- Died: 2006, Washington, D.C.
- Education: Smith College, University of California, Berkeley
- Notable Works: The Feminine Mystique, The Second Stage, The Fountain of Age
- Key Organization: National Organization for Women (NOW)
- Awards: Humanist of the Year (1975), National Women's Hall of Fame (1993)
- Burial Site: Sag Harbor Jewish Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What event triggered the research for The Feminine Mystique?
The book originated from a 1957 survey Friedan conducted of her Smith College classmates regarding their life satisfaction.
What was Friedan's stance on abortion?
She founded the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws but later expressed criticism toward the abortion-centered focus adopted by some liberal feminist factions.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Feminine Mystique
- Notable work: The Second Stage
- Notable work: The Fountain of Age
