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The Feminine Mystique By Betty Friedan

671 Words3 Pages

In her book, The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan exposes the “problem that has no name,” which is the sense of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment experienced by many women in the 1950s and 1960s. This problem stems from the societal expectation that women should find fulfillment solely through their roles as wives and mothers. As Friedan writes, “The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years in the minds of American women. It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the twentieth century in the United States” (Friedan 476).
This problem affects so many women because it is deeply ingrained in societal expectations and norms. Women are taught from a young age that their primary role …show more content…

Phyllis Schlafly’s declaration, “Women’s Libbers Do Not Speak for Us,” argues against women’s liberation, claiming that it is unnecessary and harmful to women. Schlafly argues that women have achieved great success and equality in many areas, including education and employment, and that the feminist movement is attempting to destroy the traditional family structure. She writes, “The feminists are after the family, and the family is after the feminists” (Schlafly’s 489). Schlafly believes that women should embrace their traditional roles as wives and mothers, and that any attempt to break free from these roles is a threat to …show more content…

Women are not rebelling against traditional roles because they want to destroy the family or society; they are rebelling because they are unfulfilled and want more from their lives. Schlafly’s argument also ignores the fact that many women do not have the option to embrace traditional roles, either because they are single or because they need to work to support themselves and their families.
The film “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” provides a visual representation of the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s and the issues that women were fighting for. The film highlights the sense of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment that many women experienced due to societal expectations and norms. It also shows how women rebelled against traditional roles and demanded equal rights and opportunities. The film also touches on the opposition to the feminist movement, including Schlafly’s argument against women’s

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