WS100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Betty Friedan, Doris Anderson, Second-Wave Feminism
● In 1950s, women learned to never talk about husbands, or other things they were
concerned about
● Pressure for women to not gather in groups - RCMP infiltrates women’s groups
● Are told that they are selfish if they work
Biological determinism: if you have certain biological parts, this is the kind of person you are…
biology determines who you are and what you should do → applying meaning to parts of the
body (social constructs)
Doris Anderson - journalist who is looking into the lives of women, started to publish articles in
Chatelaine about how women were limited - talking about barriers and issues that were never
allowed to rise to surface before
Women often in poverty because even if it is their own money, it is taken away, at dissolution of
marriage they lose money, women’s names not on bills to pay (need hydro etc), difficult for
women to spend money on their own needs because of joint bank accounts - guilt (stats can
says women spend less money on themselves than men do)
Betty Friedan - journalist, is hired for a women’s magazine but given restrictions bc women are
“dumb” - reaches out to friends, does survey - feminine mystique - problem that has no name -
women were doing what they were “supposed to do”, but it was an unfulfilling life - didn’t
address issues for women of colour
Women of colour had to have work, employers were willing to take them on bc they could be
paid less, poor conditions
Second wave feminism decided it was time to politicize the private → private becomes public
Men and women - binary - when we create binaries, we create opposition, one with more value
Put in sex categories based on biology/anatomy
Female sex category all about heterosexuality
High levels of violence towards people who identify as trans because it threatens the system
Gender is about social production, if child is successfully acting like their gender, then parents
are successful
● Tomboy is okay when you’re young, becomes less acceptable when older
● Gender is learned
● During adolescence, girls unlearn
● Women are always competing
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Document Summary
In 1950s, women learned to never talk about husbands, or other things they were concerned about. Pressure for women to not gather in groups - rcmp infiltrates women"s groups. Are told that they are selfish if they work. Biological determinism: if you have certain biological parts, this is the kind of person you are biology determines who you are and what you should do applying meaning to parts of the body (social constructs) Doris anderson - journalist who is looking into the lives of women, started to publish articles in. Chatelaine about how women were limited - talking about barriers and issues that were never allowed to rise to surface before. Betty friedan - journalist, is hired for a women"s magazine but given restrictions bc women are. Women of colour had to have work, employers were willing to take them on bc they could be paid less, poor conditions.
