ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses life history of Betty Friedan, most famous American feminists of the twentieth century, who first attracted national attention as the author of the 1963 bestseller, The Feminine Mystique. Friedan went on to play a key role in founding several influential feminist organizations that remain active to the present day, including the National Organization of Women (NOW), the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL), and the National Women's Political Caucus. Often described by scholars as a "liberal" feminist to differentiate her from her more radical counterparts, Friedan believed in fostering a broad-based movement that focused primarily on securing economic and political equality for women. By the late 1970s, however, Friedan had distanced herself from the feminist movement, frustrated with those who sought to emphasize issues related to sexuality and violence, such as rape, pornography, sexual harassment, and domestic abuse. She died on February 4, 2006, her eighty-fifth birthday.