The Second Sex

In Volume I, Part 4, Chapter 5, Beauvoir discussed a historical shift toward women’s liberation starting with the Industrial Revolution and the greater availability of abortion and birth control. Here, Beauvoir returns to the subject of women’s liberation. She reiterates that a movement toward the emancipation of women is ongoing in her present day. However, this emancipation has yet to truly begin. Beauvoir describes this as a “new condition of women” that represents a “step toward equality” (726).

Beauvoir notes that, in her native France, women were recently given the right to vote. However, she adds “these civil liberties remain abstract if there is no corresponding economic autonomy” (721). Jobs are important in Beauvoir’s view of freedom for women. Through activity and production, women can assert themselves both as individuals and as members of society. Unfortunately, Beauvoir still sees that having a husband or lover along with a job serves as a double burden for women. Also, Beauvoir argues professional women are still burdened by social conventions that men do not have to navigate. Professional women are “severely scrutinized” (727) based on their appearance and behavior.

There are also challenges for these women in their private lives. For women who wish to have sex lives outside a husband, male sex workers are relatively rare and casual flings are much more of a physical danger for women than men. Further, women who are perceived as being too sexually active, flirtatious, or assertive are in danger of being subjected to vicious gossip.

As for women’s relationships with men, Beauvoir argues that it is easier for men to see women as their equals than vice versa. Since women cannot appreciate themselves as truly free, this hinders women in what Beauvoir considers a truly productive love relationship. Likewise, many women must give up a career to enter a relationship, or else they risk loneliness. Also, by being too successful at their career, they might alienate men who could be potential romantic partners. The only advantage women have in forming relationships is that, since they are rightfully seen as victims of “social injustice” (734), men are under greater obligation to help them.

Besides greater, if still complicated, economic opportunities for women, emancipation is also furthered by the increasing availability of birth control and abortion. However, this situation also has complications. Birth control is heavily restricted in France, which is why there are a large number of illegal abortions in France (735). If women have a child outside of marriage, they are punished by the social stigma. Besides that, they also suffer economically, since daycares and kindergartens are rare.

One group of professional women who have traditionally been accepted in society are women in the fields of acting, singing, and dancing. Even these women struggle to view their art as something greater than simply an expression of their self. This contrasts with the artistic work of men, which is often seen as part of a wider community of art.

Female writers and artists struggle with barriers they need to overcome. Because of this, Beauvoir argues that female artists and writers cannot live up to their potential as much as male writers have. She writes, “Still amazed at having had permission to explore the world, they take its inventory without trying to discover its meaning” (747). However, Beauvoir is confident this state of affairs is changing. She concludes, “The free woman is just being born…” (751).