Born: 1921 (Peoria, Illinois)
Biography:
Betty Friedan was a renowned American feminist writer and activist. She was born on February 4, 1921, in Peoria, Illinois, to Harry and Miriam (Horwitz) Goldstein. Both of her parents came from Jewish families that immigrated from Russia and Hungary. Friedan’s father owned a jewelry store in Peoria, while her mother wrote for the society page of a newspaper. It was her mother’s work outside the home that seemed more fulfilling to Friedan, who became increasingly aware of societal gender inequalities.
During her youth, Friedan actively engaged with both Marxist and Jewish circles. Although she felt isolated from the Jewish community at times, her passion against injustice stemmed from her experiences with anti-Semitism. Friedan attended Peoria High School and became involved in the school newspaper. However, when her application to write a column was rejected, she discovered that even within her own community, she faced limitations as a woman.
In pursuit of higher education, Friedan enrolled at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she studied psychology. She graduated summa cum laude in 1942. After college, Friedan worked as a journalist, writing for various publications including women’s magazines. However, she became disillusioned by the limited and stereotypical roles assigned to women in these publications. This experience further fueled her commitment to challenging gender norms and advocating for women’s rights.
In the early 1960s, Friedan conducted a survey among her former Smith College classmates, exploring their experiences as homemakers and professionals. This research led her to write her groundbreaking book, The Feminine Mystique, published in 1963. The book examined the societal pressures on women to conform to traditional gender roles and argued for women’s liberation from these constraints. It is widely credited with sparking the second wave of American feminism.
Motivated by the success of her book, Friedan co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966 and was elected its first president. NOW aimed to bring women into the mainstream of American society as equal partners with men. The organization advocated for a variety of women’s issues, including equal rights and opportunities in employment, education, and political representation.
In 1970, after stepping down as NOW’s president, Friedan organized the Women’s Strike for Equality on August 26th, the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote. This national strike exceeded expectations and became a pivotal moment in expanding the feminist movement. Friedan led a march in New York City that drew over 50,000 participants.
Friedan continued to be an influential figure in women’s rights advocacy throughout the 1970s. She joined other leading feminists to establish the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971 and actively campaigned for the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the United States Constitution. The ERA passed both the House of Representatives and Senate following extensive pressure from women’s groups led by NOW. Friedan then focused her efforts on advocating for the amendment’s ratification by individual states.
Even though she was a vocal supporter of women’s rights, Friedan also faced criticism from within the feminist movement for her moderate stance. She expressed concerns about polarized and extreme factions of feminism that marginalized groups such as men and homemakers. In her book The Second Stage, published in 1981, Friedan criticized what she saw as the extremist excesses of some feminists.
Despite the controversy, Friedan remained an influential author and intellectual in the United States. She authored six books in total and continued her political and advocacy work until the late 1990s. Her contributions to the feminist movement and women’s history are immeasurable, and her work continues to inspire and motivate generations of activists.
Awards:
– National Women’s Hall of Fame, inducted in 1993