The Eyes Of Feminism By Simone De Beauvoir - 2343 Words

Of the first person to attempt to view history through the eyes of feminism, Simone de Beauvoir asserts that man is the great subject and woman is the other – man is seen as essential, woman is not. Her primary argument is that men fundamentally oppress women by characterizing them as the ‘other’. The author also believes that women’s inferiority in society is not a result of natural, sexual differences but rather of differences in the societal development of men and women. She argues that women are not born passive; rather, â€Å"kept in a situation of inferiority†, one becomes used to the fact that she â€Å"is inferior† (xxiv). Sex is a fixed physiological difference between males and females, usually assigned at birth. Gender, on the other hand, refers to the differences of a man and a woman determined by a particular culture and society that the individual belongs to. Socially constructed responsibilities, behaviors, and attributes for men and women are considered gender roles. According to Joan W. Scott, gender is â€Å"used to designate social relations between the sexes† (Joan Scott 1056). While aspects of biological sex are similar across different countries and cultures, aspects of gender and how ominously gender roles are emphasized may be different. In these manners, gender inequality refers to the unfair treatment and discrimination against individuals based on their gender and the imbalance between the sexes. Gender inequality exists because it remains beneficial to aShow MoreRelatedThe Second Sex!1578 Words   |  7 Pagesrole of feminism in the 20th century changed the lives of many wom en, opening new doors to greater opportunities such has: jobs, education, and empowerment. Many achievements and organizations were a success in bringing a new role into society for women all over. However, the battle that seems to keep reappearing over time is the constant struggle between man and women and the fundamental question that still is left unanswered, who is inferior? In her novel, The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir discussesRead MoreFeminism And Gender And Sexuality1378 Words   |  6 Pagesthey were entitled to, this notion sparked the concept of feminism. Simone De Beauvoir references women as the ‘second sex’, saying that â€Å"one is not born, but rather becomes a woman† (2382). By this statement, De Beauvoir argues that women are not born a women, but are taught from infancy to accept society’s role of ‘woman’. The idea that women are taught to accept their role by society is the concept that feminism fights. Historically, Feminism has evolved from the critical examination of inequalityRead MoreFeminism : A Feminist Perspective1965 Words   |  8 Pagesthink of the words â€Å"feminist† or â€Å"feminism† it sometimes open the doors to a scrutinizing debate. People will go back and forth on their opinions of this delicate topic causing some people to change their minds where as others will just add more fuel to their own fire by making their beliefs even stronger for the next time they wish to defend their thoughts and ideas. Those people who stand by their strong supportive thoughts, ideas, and beliefs on the topic of feminism are known as a feminist’s. TheseRead MoreThe Sources Of Injustice Explained By Simone De Beauvoir1365 Words   |  6 PagesWoMEN (An Analysis of the Sources of Injustice Explained by Simone de Beauvoir in Second Sex) The idea of feminism and women’s rights have been under attack for years. Women themselves have been under attack for their entire lives. Women always have to be doing things correctly or men attack their very being. Men have expected women to be submissive to them from the beginning of time, as life has always been a patriarchy. Feminism has always been buried under the dirt but in the last 50-100 yearsRead MoreAnalysis Of Simone De Beauvoir s The Girl1225 Words   |  5 Pagesdominated society. Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophical work, The Second Sex, echoes the intense oppression of women and reflects the first wave feminist movement. Her existentialist decoding of genders resulted in the idea of the Other, which explores the phenomenon of women forced into the role of an object, while men are the subject. In the second chapter, â€Å"The Girl†, Beauvoir further studies the idea of this oppression during one’s transition from a girl into a woman. Beauv oir states that no matterRead MoreSimone de Beauvoir: Feminism and Existentialism806 Words   |  4 PagesSimone de Beauvoir: Feminism and Existentialism Simone de Beauvoir talks about women through the eyes of an existentialist in her book The Second Sex. Specifically, de Beauvoir’s views on how woman is â€Å"man’s dependent† shows the Subject and the Other relationship, a solution she gives to abolishing the oppression of women is that we need to abandon the idea that women are born feminine, second, weaker and not made, and the responsibility that she puts on herself and women for accepting the rolesRead MoreThe Second Sex By Simone De Beauvoir1283 Words   |  6 PagesOthers. The Second Sex written by Simone de Beauvoir explores the oppression of women forced into the role of an object, while men are the subject. In the second chapter â€Å"The Girl†, de Beauvoir studies the idea of this oppression during the transition from a girl to a woman. She coins the term of the Other to explain the phenomenon of female inessentiality and persecution. The Other is an opponent of a female’s sovereignty an d limits freedoms. Simone De Beauvoir expounds a girl’s transition intoRead MoreAnalysis Of Second Sex By Simone De Beauvoir703 Words   |  3 PagesIn Simone De Beauvoir’ Second Sex, the author aims to define what it is be a woman. It is difficult to pin down the definition of something that has a multitude of meanings to different people. The author makes the claim that although someone is female they may not identify as a woman. In an effort to define women, men have made the comparison against themselves. The essence of woman through the eyes of men is purely a sexual being. The Man views himself as the superior being while only viewing womenRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Whale Rider1990 Words   |  8 Pagesdiscriminated just because of their gender, both females and males should be given the same equal of opportunities since it was demonstrated that women are as capable to do what men are able to. The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir assisted me to get a deeper understanding of the theory. Feminism is the focus of numerous movements which tried to obtain and defend the equality of female political, economic, and social rights. A feminist, which is often a female who promotes or encourages the rights andRead MoreBloodchild: Gender Inequality in Society1462 Words   |  6 Pageshuman narrator and the chief alien. In her afterword, she describes â€Å"Bloodchild† as â€Å"a love story between two very different beings,† â€Å"a coming of age story† and a â€Å"pregnant man story.†(Hardy) However, when one comparing Butler’s â€Å"Bloodchild† to Simone De Beauvoir’s essay â€Å"The second sex†, similarities surrounding the social issues of gender inequality arise. The circumstances of the narrator mirror social issues affecting modern women. Bloodchild by Octavia Butler examines the dynamics of power between