Feminine Mystique

Definition

The Feminine Mystique is a concept that highlights the societal expectation placed on women to find fulfillment primarily through domestic roles, such as homemaking and child-rearing, rather than personal achievement or careers. This term was popularized by Betty Friedan in her 1963 book, "The Feminine Mystique," which critiques how these expectations limit women's opportunities and suppress their identities.

Related terms

Gender Roles: Socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

Patriarchy:

A social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.

Second: wave feminism - A period of feminist activity during the 1960s-1980s that focused on issues of equality and discrimination, including workplace inequality, legal inequalities, and reproductive rights