Betty Friedan

Betty Friedan was a central figure in the emergence of second-wave feminism in the United States during the mid-twentieth century. She is best known for articulating the widespread dissatisfaction experienced by many women confined to domestic roles in post-war society. Through her writing, activism, and organisational leadership, Friedan played a decisive role in transforming public discourse on gender equality, women’s rights, and social participation.
Her work challenged deeply entrenched assumptions about femininity, marriage, and fulfilment, helping to catalyse a broader feminist movement that addressed issues such as employment discrimination, education, reproductive rights, and legal equality. Friedan’s influence extended beyond academia into public policy and mass culture, making her one of the most significant social critics of her era.

Early Life and Education

Betty Friedan was born in 1921 in Peoria, Illinois, into a middle-class Jewish family. She was academically gifted and pursued higher education at Smith College, where she excelled in journalism and social sciences. Following graduation, she undertook postgraduate study at the University of California, Berkeley, although she left before completing a doctorate.
Her early exposure to intellectual debate, labour politics, and journalism shaped her critical perspective on American social structures. Friedan initially worked as a journalist, where she became aware of systemic gender discrimination, particularly the exclusion of women from professional advancement following marriage and motherhood.

Social Context and Post-War America

Friedan’s work must be understood within the social context of post-Second World War America, a period marked by economic prosperity alongside rigid gender norms. Women were widely encouraged to find fulfilment exclusively through marriage, motherhood, and domestic responsibility.
Popular media, educational institutions, and psychological theories reinforced the ideal of the suburban housewife, portraying professional ambition in women as abnormal or harmful. Friedan identified this cultural pattern as a major source of dissatisfaction, arguing that it limited women’s intellectual growth and personal development.

The Feminine Mystique

Friedan achieved international recognition with the publication of The Feminine Mystique in 1963. The book critically examined what she termed “the problem that has no name”, referring to the sense of emptiness and frustration experienced by many middle-class women despite material comfort.
Drawing on interviews, surveys, and social analysis, Friedan argued that women were discouraged from pursuing education, careers, and independent identities. She criticised the ways in which psychology, advertising, and popular culture reinforced restrictive gender roles.
The book is widely regarded as a foundational text of second-wave feminism, as it brought private dissatisfaction into the public sphere and legitimised women’s demands for equality and self-determination.

Role in the Feminist Movement

Following the success of her writing, Friedan became increasingly involved in organised feminist activism. She was a co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which aimed to achieve legal and economic equality for women through political advocacy and litigation.
As a public spokesperson for the movement, Friedan emphasised practical reforms such as equal employment opportunities, access to education, childcare provision, and enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. She sought to position feminism as a mainstream civil rights movement rather than a radical fringe ideology.
Her leadership helped translate feminist ideas into institutional and legislative change, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s.

Views on Work, Family, and Equality

Friedan argued that genuine equality required expanding women’s choices rather than prescribing a single model of liberation. She supported women’s right to work while also recognising the value of family life, advocating social structures that allowed both men and women to balance professional and domestic responsibilities.
She was particularly concerned with the economic dependence of women, viewing access to paid employment as essential for autonomy and dignity. Friedan’s emphasis on structural reform distinguished her work from purely cultural critiques of gender norms.
However, her focus on middle-class, educated women has been noted as a limitation, as it did not fully address the experiences of working-class women or women of colour.