The feminine mystique

In 1963, a book was published in America which was called as the feminine mystique written by Betty Friedan which exploded the collective consciousness of the Americans. This went on to become one of the most controversial best-sellers of that time and affected the life of millions of Americans. This book in fact gave the impetus for the 2nd wave of feminism in America and the world.

Betty Friedan did her masters in psychology but then opted out to live a life as a housewife instead of pursuing a career after college. But later she went on to write a book called as the feminine mystique after experiencing vast emptiness in her life and studying many others who showed similar tendencies. She called this emptiness as the “problem” that has no name and blamed it on the idealized image that the society had for the feminine and which was bombarded on the collective psyche of the women of that era.

She called this idealized image of the feminine as the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique was a term given by the author to the idealized feminine behaviour that was expected of women of that era where they were expected to be a housewife who looked after, cared and nurtured the family and nothing more. Everything else which became an obstacle to this idealized image like education and professional career was considered as unfeminine.

Women were indeed considered incapable of any pursuits outside her home be it in the arena of the social, the religious, the political, the economical , the artistic and the scientific structures of a patriarchal society. Women pursuing the unfeminine path were called neurotic and were ostricated from the traditional society in those days.

Now this book called as the feminine mystique was indeed a revolution against the idealised image of the feminine where women were just considered as a tool for making a perfect home and nothing more. This book that was written by Betty Friedan can be considered as a foundation stone that was placed for the 2nd wave of feminism that swept in America and across the world. It is a classic which touches upon the universal concepts such as the inner voice, the vast emptiness that is felt within a person and the larger purpose of life.

This book was written in an era when women were made to move back to the home to take up the traditional housewife role after the trauma of the World war-2 and it was written during a period when people lived under the fear of the atomic bomb and the cold war.

The Feminine Mystique: The Book

This book by Betty Friedan has the following chapters

1. The problem that has no name
2. The Happy housewife Heroine
3. The crisis of Women’s Identity
4. The passionate journey
5. The sexual solipsism of Sigmund Freud
6. The Functional freeze, the feminine protest, and Margaret Mead theory
7. The sex directed educators
8. The mistaken choice
9. The sexual cell
10. Housewifery expands to fill the time available
11. The sex seekers
12. Progressive dehumanization: The comfortable concentration camp
13. The forfeited self
14. A new life plan for women

The feminine mystique: Many faces of the 21st century working women

Now we need to understand that things have changed quite a bit from the times of 1950s and 1960s. In most of the parts of the world the role of women in the workplace is being appreciated and acknowledged. In this regard time has come to study the opportunities and problems faced by women at the work place. For this we need to analyze in depth the following

1. The 1950s to the 21st century: How Women’s role in the workplace has changed
2. What are the greatest opportunities/barriers of being a woman in the workplace?
3. What are the greatest opportunities/barriers of working women and simultaneously caring for a family?
4. What support structures at work and/or at home could help to achieve greater balance?

Discussing about the opportunities it is imperative to touch upon issues related to holistic growth of women who manage their work life along with their personal life. Issues related to balance of family and professional life needs special emphasis. These include

1. Flexible work options
2. Time savers/vacation times
3. Childcare assistance
4. Benefits that fit individual needs

As most of the times women are managing both their professional and family life in tandem the challenges faced by women are also unique and they need to be adequately addressed. Some of the main challenges of working women are

1. Longer work hours
2. Increased commute times
3. Childcare costs
4. Limited healthcare options

Keeping in mind the opportunities and challenges we need to work out suitable balance so that we don’t face a “stress out” situation where frustration among women can lead to an “opt-out” revolution.

The feminine mystique: Are we facing the “opt-out” revolution?

Now talking about the “opt-out” revolution, it is important to study whether women are giving up on their professional life because of the stress and frustration of managing both the home and the work front. Work life related competition and glass ceiling in the work place may be compounding the already aggravated problem. We don’t want the creation of the feminine mystique as that existed in 1950s or 1960s if we keep Betty Friedan’s work as reference. Therefore the need of the hour is for a genuine rethinking on the whole issue.

The feminine mystique: Rethinking among women and women leadership in work place

What are the options? Here women have to wear the rethinking cap and find solutions which are beneficial for both the family and professional life. Issues that needs to be addressed are essentially related to

1. Progress and frustration in family and work life
2. What is the price of power?
3. The real path to leadership

Managing home and professional life is not the sole responsibility of women. Here men should come forward and share the responsibilities in equal terms. It should be understood that family as a primary unit of the society can only function properly if both the partners in the family are appreciative and sensitive to each other’s growth and progress as they are to their own.

Let’s hope that we don’t end up bringing back the feminine mystique that was never a reality in true sense in any era of human existence and civilization.

Article by Sanjay Nair

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Once in a month synopsis of all new page additions:

Dear friends,

We are adding 30 new pages to this site every month which covers topics related to Awakening the feminine, Feminism, Women in religion, Matriarchy, Women empowerment, Girl child, Mother earth news, Understanding men, Friends & relationships, Self discovery, Kali, Project-9 & Women’s power, Art & Science, Dance & Music, Women’s fashion, Women’s sexuality, Women’s health & fitness, Women & marriage, Rape, Prostitution and Drug abuse.

Please subscribe to the “once in a month synopsis of all new page additions” so that you can keep abreast with the latest additions on this site. Further this will also help you to revisit the site and study the details of the “topic of your interest”. Please note that the subscribing facility is available in all other WebPages featuring in this site and you need to subscribe “only once” and thereafter ignore this message in all other WebPages. To know more about us click on the "The Team" page.

Yours truly,

The Team

Enter your E-mail Address
Enter your First Name (optional)
Then

Don't worry — your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you "Monthly synopsis on all new page additions".


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer:

The authors are not responsible for any contents linked or referred to from his or her pages-unless he has full knowledge of illegal contents and would be able to prevent the visitors of his site from viewing those pages. If any damage occurs by the use of information presented there, only the author of the respective pages might be liable, not the one who has linked to these pages. Furthermore the authors are not liable for any postings or messages published by users of discussion boards, guest books or mailing lists provided on the "rise of womanhood" page. The authors are not psychiatrists or physician/medical doctors or legal attorneys of any sort. This website is not intended to replace medical, psychiatric or legal care. Please seek professional attention as needed. The information provided is not intended to replace obtaining medical evaluations and health care advice from qualified health care providers. This site's owner is providing information for reference only, and do not intend said Information to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions, or for any other purposes. The owner/authors of this site MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF SAID INFORMATION, OR THE FITNESS OF THE INFORMATION TO BE USED FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS, EXPENSE, OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND TO USER, OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY, RELATED TO THE USE OF SAID INFORMATION. Persons accessing any information of this web site, directly or indirectly, assume full responsibility for the use of the Information and understand and agree that the author of rise-of-womanhood.org website is not responsible or liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising from the use of said information.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to main page:

Return from The feminine mystique to Awakening the feminine

Related topics:

Feminine transformation Feminine psychology Feminine hypnosis Feminine intuition Voice of feminine spirit Divine feminine The sacred feminine Feminine symbols Feminine tattoos Feminine principle Feminine essence

Feminine forever Feminine rhyme Feminine charms Feminine Grace Feminine archetype Feminine Genius Feminine Secrets Feminine protection

Similar topics:

Chapter-1 Chapter-2 Chapter-5 Summary & study guide

Transcend your Destiny for a New Life: Click here for the Psychic Package

SBI
SBI!