Noted feminist Betty Friedan died today on her 85th birthday, CNN has reported. Friedan was most famous for her 1963 manifesto
The Feminine Mystique, which helped to usher in the 2nd wave of feminism in the United States. A journalist by training, Friedan drew attention to the unfulfilled dreams of suburban homemakes constrained by the culturally-conservative attitudes of 1950s America.
As an odd coincidence, I am scheduled to be teaching
The Feminine Mystique to my gender and social movements class on Monday. My students, most of whom are in their late teens and early twenties, enjoy the excerpt that we read from
Mystique (the chapter entitled "The Problem that Has No Name") but are somewhat dumbfounded by her arguments. Today, we take many of the rights of gender equality for granted.
Friedan's book inspired a generation of women to pursue higher education and careers outside of the home, by giving voice to how many women felt. American society is largely indebted to her consciousness-raising efforts, even people who don't necessarily identify as feminists. As a gay man, I can say that the second wave of feminism paved the way for future gender-based social movements and the promotion of equality within American society. Friedan will be missed.
I hope that Friedan's passing will call attention to the positive changes of the 20th century in terms of gender relations. Betty was truly a visionary, and I know that many people will mourn her passing. Her friends and family are in my thoughts.
Update: The full obituary is now up on CNN. According to the obit, Friedan was a committed Democrat and was herself a delegat at the 1984 Democratic National Convention when Geradline Ferraro was selected to be the party's vice-presidential nominee.
Update 2: I'm sure it won't be long before some loony conservative like Phyllis Schlafly or Ann Coulter starts screaming about how Friedan helped to usher in the "moral decline of the American family" or something idiotic like that. But maybe something positive will come of such ranting and raving, by drawing attention to the idiocy of conservatives who want to turn the clock backwards on gender equality.