TOW #4: "The Feminine Mystique" (IRB)

Reading The Feminine Mystique in 2016 is particularly interesting. Betty Friedan revolutionized feminism in the 20th century with this book, gaining attention from critics and fans alike. But I find the statistics she cites shocking, and it was difficult to grapple with as I began reading. Friedan begins by describing 'the problem that has no name' by quoting statistics from the end of the 1950s - "Fourteen million girls were engaged by 17. The proportion of women attending college in comparison with men dropped from 47 percent in 1920 to 35 percent in 1958" (2). When I look at the historical narrative that commonly accompanies a discussion about women's rights, it's often shown that women had more freedoms and enjoyed more pursuits of things like education as time went on. The reality of feminism is that it has not, and never will be, a linear pursuit. As society changes, feminism changes with it, and things like education and marriage fluctuate. It does, however, set up the circumstances within which Friedan is writing: early 1960s America.

What I had to consider going into this book was the fact that this data might be shocking to me because of my privilege living in 2016. I have grown up in a world where it is common for women to pursue higher education, and many women have put off marriage until their late twenties in order to devote time to their careers and social lives. However, the world Friedan writes for is much different. Those who have grown up in the culture often accept these standards as truth without calling them into question, which is why The Feminine Mystique was so radical. Women were living increasingly domestic lives, with larger families and more responsibilities that kept them inside the home. Post-WWII, many of the women previously in the workforce resigned as their husbands returned from war.

Friedan acknowledges these societal pressures in her accounts of women across America. The testimonies of women from every social class and background are what make this book really enjoyable to read. It is interesting to see from the perspective of a woman during this time, and helps add weight to the ideas Friedan cites from experts. Friedan's appeal to logos combines with her appeal to pathos as she includes these accounts from women. However, it's clear that she seems to hold the opinions of real women higher than those of any proclaimed "expert", as she says. "According to the experts they are, but listen to these four women" (56). Sometimes the things women say are completely contrary to the beliefs of a male psychologist.

Overall, reading The Feminine Mystique has been an eye-opening experience for me. The ways Friedan weaves myth with fact, expert ideas with testimonial accounts, and past with present combine to create an engaging and thought-provoking work that expands on the growing topic that is feminism. Reading this book in the 21st century has proven to be no small feat, but it certainly is an enjoyable one.