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In the words of Betty Friedan; Woman January 5, 2010

Betty Friedan was a leading activist of the Second wave feminist in the 1960’s. In 1963, Friedanpublished a book entitled The Feminine Mystique , which attracted great interest from women in the erawho also advocated women’s rights. This article does not cover this important work in its entirety, butrather focuses on a section in the beginning of the book called “The Problem that Has No Name.”

Friedan begins by describing women in the 1960’s. With the passage of the 19 th Amendment inthe 1920’s, women had the right to vote and also had a greater opportunity to pursue higher education.However, in spite of their increase in rights outside of the home, Friedan describes how women werestill oppressed in their own homes. Even with a college degree, women of her time were not encouragedto pursue career aspirations of their own. Society voiced to women of that generation that it was themost fulfilling aspect of life to get married, have children, and care for a family and household of theirown. As a result, many educated women failed to form career goals; marrying in their mid twenties anddedicating all of their time to being a housewife. All of these women mirrored society’s expectations andthe media’s projection of them.

After receiving their education, whether it is primary school or graduate school, women prior toFriedan’s time commonly married, started families and became housewives. A huge majority of womenfound that being a housewife was not the most fulfilling aspect of life, and that they would much ratherpursue their own independent aspirations rather than cater to the will of their families day after day.With the conflict between what women want, which was to pursue their own careers and aspirations,and what they were told to want, which was to get married, have children, and become a housewife,many women began to develop psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and lethargy.Mental health professionals were unable to explain the huge increase in these symptoms amongmarried women, but noticed a trend in the disturbances. Many of the women felt as though they wereneurotic for thinking about pursuing their aspirations aside from their children or husbands and had no

idea that there were other women out there that felt the same way.

According to Friedan, this common thought was said to be a result of women’s rather recentlyacquired rights. They argued that because women were already so stressed out with all of the burdensand demands of running a household that the additional demands of being politically enlightened andacademically educated was too much pressure for them to bear. As a result of all of this pressure,women were developing these psychological symptoms. A proposed cure was to revoke these rightsfrom women so that they would not have to worry about the added responsibility of their newlyacquired civic duty.

In light of the ignorant propositions made by oppressors of women, there many betteralternatives to this solution. Women should be treated as equals to men. Both of the sexes should havethe same demands on them and they should work together to achieve the same goals. Men and womenshould both be encouraged to follow their dreams and aspirations and to be encouraged to pursue livesthat they enjoy and have pride in. Perhaps with time, such ignorant thinking in regards to the treatmentof women will change.

ReferencesFriedan, B. (1963). “The Problem that Has No Name” in The Feminine Mystique , pages 11-27.

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Title: Betty Friedan, Women’s Rights AdvocateDescription: An image of Betty Friedan, Women’s Rights Advocate and author of the book, The Feminine

Mystique (1963).Tags: Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique

Title: The Feminine MystiqueDescription: Cover of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan.Tags: The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan