It is probably for her monumental study of women in Le Deuxime Sexe (The

Second Sex)1, that Simone de Beauvoir will be remembered most prominently.

Throughout the text, Beauvoir engages with various discourses such as biology and
psychoanalysis which she argues, often have the effect of controlling maternity and
sexuality, as well as shaping individual lives on a psychological, physical and
emotional level.2 As Winegarten writes, the text radically changed the whole manner
of looking at the condition of women, and its influence soon spread for good or ill
beyond France throughout the entire field of culture. 3
It is within this landmark text, that Beauvoir uses her now infamous injunction, one is
not born, but rather becomes a woman.4 According to Butler, Beauvoir establishes
the dichotomy between the concept of gender and sex. 5 In its simplest form, this
quote translates as: sex is anatomically and biologically determined at birth, whereas gender is acquired through acculturation 6.
Nevertheless, the high degree of respect which is due to Beauvoir does not mean

1 Simone de Beauvoir and Howard Madison Parshley, The Second Sex : Translated And
Edited By H.M. Parshley (1st edn, London 1997).
2 Ursula Tidd, Simone De Beauvoir, Gender And Testimony (1st edn, Cambridge University
Press 1999).
3 Renee Winegarten, Simone De Beauvoir (1st edn, Berg 1988).
4 Ibid
5 Judith Butler, 'Sex And Gender In Simone De Beauvoir's Second Sex' [1986] Yale
French Studies <https://www.jstor.org/stable/2930225?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>
accessed 9 December 2016.
6 Ibid

that her work is exempt from discussion and criticisms7. Indeed, the status of women
during the time period in which The Second Sex was written was significantly
different, therefore the applicability of Beauvoirs statement must also be analysed in
the context of modern day society.
This essay discusses Beauvoirs famous statement that one is not born, but rather
becomes a woman, by analysing both its meaning, and context. Next, the writer
shall analyse and discuss potential criticisms of Beauvoirs injunction, and whether
her ideas could ever truly be considered valid in the first place. Finally, the
statements definition shall be discussed in a contemporary context.
The essay argues that although the feminist movement has come a long way and
anti-discrimination legislation exists, women are still considered subordinate.
Beauvoirs statement is still applicable to some extent, although it may not fully
explain women as the other.

Firstly, the meaning of Beauvoirs injunction, as well as her concept of the other and
nature shall be discussed.
Beauvoir would argue that despite being an autonomous freedom, along with every
human creature, she [women] discovers herself and chooses herself in a world
where men oblige her to accept herself as the Other. 8 That is, man occupies the role
of the absolute/transcendent self, or subject; whilst woman is the object, the other.
Mahon summarises the key characteristics of Beauvoirs concept of the Other as
being, associated with submissiveness, dependence, immanence, limitation and
7 Mary Evans, Simone De Beauvoir, A Feminist Mandarin (1st edn, Tavistock
1985).
8 Beauvoir (n 1) 31

subordination. She is incomplete, inessential and mutilated. 9 Thus, the patriarchal

society in which we occupy has forced women into adopting a rigid framework which
they are required to conform to, which depicts women as being somewhat lacking
and less worthy than men, who are considered more assertive and autonomous. 10
Being associated with this concept of the other, means that women are typically
perceived as being closer to nature than they are to culture, which is considered
the domain of man11. Beauvoir argues that this is as a consequence of womens
explicit exclusion from the cultural sphere, and men escaping from her hold when
he frees himself from nature12. Notwithstanding, Beauvoir also discusses the fact
that despite their subpar status, women continue to serve a somewhat pivotal role in
modern-day society, albeit to a lesser extent than men. They are essential for the
likes of reproduction, thus are integral to men in their development in culture, which
is ironically based on a foundation of female subordinancy.13
However, this raises the question as to why Beauvoir believes this to be the case?
Beauvoir highlights the fact that pre-adolescent girls and boys are similar in that they
possess the same interests and the same pleasures. 14 Therefore, if the
9 Joseph Mahon and Jo Campling, Existentialism, Feminism, And Simone De Beauvoir (1st edn,
Macmillan Press Ltd 1997). 219 ibid

10 ibid
11 Beauvoir (n 8) 37
12 ibid 77-78
13 Ibid 145
14 Ibid 295

psychological discrepancies between young men and women are relatively

insignificant, what causes them to become important in later life? In other words,
why does this becoming of a woman take place?15
It is in the second volume of The Second Sex that Beauvoir begins her discussion of
Womans Life Today by using her infamous phrase. She draws upon her own
experiences to take the reader through the initial stages of development 16 of a
woman to childhood, adolescence, early womanhood, sexual initiation- and explains
how events in each stage all contribute to girls becoming a woman, and aid in
isolating her from the cultural sphere.
It is worth noting that Beauvoir doesnt provide a particularly empowering account of
the role played by female biology in tackling biological and sexual discourses. Thus,
it could be argued that she endorses, to some extent, the deterministic factors
circumscribing female biology which she is attempting to dismantle.

17

Firstly, Beauvoir states that as the child progresses through puberty, society reacts in
an increasingly adverse and threatening manner:
The young girl feels as though her body is getting away from her, it is no longer the
straightforward expression of her individuality. on the street men follow her with
their eyes and comment on her anatomy. She would like to be invisible; it frightens
her to become flesh and to show flesh.18
15 Tidd (n 2) 65
16 Terry Keefe, Simone De Beauvoir: A Study Of Her Writings (1st edn, Barnes & Noble
1983). 95
17 Tidd (n 15) 45
18 Beauvoir (n 14) 333

As a member of the patriarchal society, even if the young girl attempts to ignore the
changes that are happening to her body, society will soon reminder her.19 Beauvoir
provides numerous examples of this, such as: the perverted man on the street, her
critical mother, or a male relative making an inappropriate joke about the girls
menstruation20.
Already, her innocence is tarnished, and she is being made to feel ashamed of her
femininity, thus she has taken her first steps to becoming a woman.
The next pivotal trauma that the girl experiences to further solidify the notion that
possessing a female body is a pain, embarrassing and awkward, is that of sexual
initiation. Sexual intercourse is physically more traumatic for girls as a consequence
of the nature of heterosexual penetration. Beauvoir illustrates this point quite vividly
when she writes, a mans sex organ tears the young girl and penetrates into regions
where it has not been desired.21
Furthermore, it is socially traumatic for the young girl, as they tend to be more
ignorant to issues surrounding sex, and what to expect, than boys. 22Any education
the girl does receive, tends to linked more to the romantic aspect of the
relationship, opposed to the actual penetration. 23
Beauvoir makes her thoughts on intercourse for young women clear when she

19 ibid
20 Tidd (n 17) 65
21 Beauvoir (n 19) 404
22 ibid 395
23 ibid

states, love assumes the aspect of a surgical operation. 24 For Beauvoir, penetration
is just another method for men to assert their dominance and status as human,
superior to the womans other.25
Beauvoirs account of maternity is marginally more optimistic. As she progresses in
her pregnancy, the woman is typically perceived by society as less sexually
attractive, thus she temporarily escapes mans aggressive sexual gaze 26. This acts in
favour of the woman, as now she is no longer a sexual object, but she is an
incarnation of her species, she represents the promise of life, of eternity. 27
Notwithstanding, she still believes that motherhood can ruin a mothers professional
life, emphasising the need for measures such as birth control and legal abortions. 28
Moreover, it is this promise of life that brings her ever closer to nature, and pushes
her further from the domain of man and his privileged position within society. Once
again, the woman is shaped by her environment, and is another step closer to fully
becoming woman.
Similarly, Beauvoir discusses the positives and negatives that come with progressing
from maturity to old age. The aging woman is described as, intent on struggling
against a misfortune that was mysteriously disfiguring and deforming her. 29 This is
24 Ibid 404
25 Konrad F Bieber, Simone De Beauvoir (1st edn, Twayne Publishers 1979). 124
26 Winegarten (n 3) 86
27 Beauvoir (n 24) 518
28 Winegarten (26) 86
29 Beauvoir (n 27) 595

of course a highly negative account of the aging process, and evokes a somewhat
bleak and depressing tone.30 Again however, as the woman matures she is finally rid
of the scrutinising glare of the patriarchal society. The woman is now freed from
social obligations, dieting and the care of her beauty. 31

Burawoy effectively summarises Beauvoirs view on the experience of becoming a

woman when he writes, the story is always a bleak one, a story of domestic
drudgery, boredom and confinement32. She is isolated in a living tomb, where the
woman only serves to assure the monotonous repetition of life in all its mindless
factuality33.
However, as Bieber states, Beauvoir is not always cautious nor skilled enough to
avoid pitfalls through some hasty oversimplifications. 34Indeed, her critics argue that
it is these bloopers that often annul the scientific impact of her book, thus calling
the accuracy of her famous injunction into question.
Butler is critical of Beauvoirs formulation as to how one becomes a woman 35. She
argues that this transition is not a matter of acquiescing to a fixed ontological

30 Bieber (n 25) 126

31 Beauvoir (n 29)
32 Michael Burawoy, 'The Anomalies Of Feminism: Beauvoir Meets Bordieu'
[2014] Conversations with Pierre Bordieu: The Johannesburg Moment.
33 ibid
34 Bieber (n 30) 127
35 Butler (n 5) 36-37

status, nor can it be considered a cultural construction imposed upon identity 36.
Instead, Butler believes that gender is a process of constructing ourselves 37. This is
in contrast to Beauvoirs theory, since Butler argues that gender is not determined
solely as a consequence of societal constructs and external factors, but a large
aspect of our identity is forged by our own actions and decisions in life.
Like Beauvoir, she agrees that we are born blank slates, and that our identities will
alter considerably throughout our lifetimes. However, Butler proposes that we pave
our own destinies, and that the concept of gender is significantly more complex than
being categorised simply as man or woman. 38
Controversially, Butler also believes that sex difference, no less than gender
difference, is socially constructed and shaped by the patriarchal societies in which
women inhibit.39 This echoes the radical approach adopted by Mackinnon who
argues that biological gender differences are simply another form of male
domination40. Therefore, if gender differences are functions of dominations in
themselves, then the implication is that men are considered powerful, and women
powerless by definition41, or as Mackinnon puts it, women/men is a distinction not
just of difference, but of power and powerlessness.Power/powerlessness is the
36 Ibid
37 Ibid
38 Ibid
39 Ibid
40 Amy Allen, 'Feminist Perspectives On Power' (The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
2016) <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2016/entries/feminist-power/>.> accessed
10 December 2016.
41 Ibid

sex difference.42 She expressly rejects Beauvoirs sex/gender distinction and

believes that typically biologically rooted traits are no more immutable than those
that are socially rooted.43
Ultimately, it is clear from these examples that some feminists may be critical of the
wording of Beauvoirs infamous statement, as well as her distinctions between
gender/sex. However, many consider her work to be of high value, and continue to
use it as the foundations for their studies, even if they believe her writings fall short
at times.
For example, feminist writer Iris Young criticises Beauvoir for failing to provide a
comprehensive insight into the role that female embodiment plays in oppression. 44
Indeed, Beauvoir does discuss the female body extensively in terms of its
physiology, and links factors such as menstruation and pregnancy in tying her closer
with nature and further from culture.45 However, Young extends these insights further,
and in her paper, Throwing Like a Girl46 draws upon the works of Merleau-Pontys
phenomenological analysis of the lived body to critically analyse the situatedness of
the womans actual bodily movement and orientation to its surroundings and its

42 Catharine A MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified: Discourses On Life And Law (1st edn,
Harvard University Press 1987) 123
43 Ibid
44 ibid
45 Beauvoir (31) 356
46 Iris Young, Justice And The Politics Of Difference (1st edn, Princeton University Press
1990) 55

world.47 In other words, she believes that women fail to use their bodies to their full
capacity for fear of backlash or portraying the wrong image. They try not to take up
too much space, and they often approach physical activity conditionally and
uncertainly (they choose to throw like girls). 48 Young goes on to state that she
believes that these feminine body reservations exhibit equal amounts, if not more,
tension between the transcendent male and Other. 49
Notwithstanding, like Beauvoir, Young also recognises the significance of the Other
and the overall ideology that womens behaviour is often moulded by external
influences. She aptly writes, patriarchal society defines woman as object, as a mere
body, and that in sexist society women are in fact frequently regarded by others as
objects and mere bodies.50
Therefore it could be argued that Youngs theory on female embodiment is less of a
critique of Beauvoir, and simply expands on her insights into the power distribution
within society.
Consequently, despite criticisms for a lack of depth, the impact of Beauvoirs findings
cannot be discounted. The Second Sex continues to provide a blueprint for feminism
and equality in modern day society.
Notwithstanding, there is no debating the fact that revisiting the The Second Sex
today produces the uncanny effect of belatedness, as new events and knowledge

47 Ibid 143
48 Allen (n 44)
49 Ibid
50 Young (n 46)

endow the text with untimely meanings51, thus calling the validity of Beauvoirs
concept of becoming a woman into question. However, as Beauvoir emphasises
throughout her works, the concept of culture, is an entirely human construct,
opposed to an immutable fact. Therefore the text addresses the concept of femininity
from its own, trans-geographical and temporal dislocations, returning to haunt both
the present and the future.52 In simpler terms, she considers her theory to be
timeless and widely applicable to varying circumstances.
Indeed, at birth, women are no further away from culture or closer to nature than
men. Therefore, as men and women are both rational and conscious entities, cultural
values can be addressed, and there is no justifiable reason why the apparent
subordinate status of women should persist.
Consequently, it is imperative to discuss whether womans conceptualisation as the
second sex or other enduring in contemporary society, and if so, why is this still the
case?
Women remain the second sex, and uphold their Other status in terms of equality in
the workplace. According to its 2015 report on the status of American women, the
Institute for Women Policy Research revealed that women are less likely to hold
positions in academic fields such as science and technology.53 The report continues
to suggest that this may be due to factors such as pregnancy, and issues related to
51Ruth Evans, Simone De Beauvoir's The Second Sex (1st edn, Manchester University
Press 1998).
52 Ibid
53 Bridget Greene and Raymond Smith, 'Gender Inequality In The Workplace' (Columbia
University 2016) <https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:190361>
accessed 12 December 2016.

childcare.54 This point certainly reflects Beauvoirs views of maternity and the
pregnant woman, thus adding weight to her overall argument.
Furthermore, in 2010 the median income of a male fulltime, year-round worker was
$42,800, where-as for a female worker it was $34,700 55 under the exact same
circumstances. This may indicate that womens labour remains less valued than that
of men, thus reinforcing the argument that Beauvoirs woman continues to be
considered the second sex within society.
Even more surprising, is the fact that in 2012 Republicans voted against legislation
aimed at closing the gender pay gap, arguing that there was already sufficient
legislation in place and that introducing a new law would only cause unnecessary
litigation in courts.56 Therefore, even in developed modern-day societies, the typically
male law makers continue to legislate in favour of maintaining inequalities between
the sexes.
In terms of women being classed at the second sex in a social context, Beauvoir
highlights the fact that men frequently persuade or threaten women into acts such as
adultery, abortion and moral compromise, yet are the same people who construct
savage laws 57against the likes of divorce, abortion, or womens social and
economic independence.
54 Ibid
55 Paige Winters and Jojo Matson, 'Gender Pay Gap' (2012) 10 Uhuru
<http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=uhuru> accessed 13
December 2016.
56 Ibid
57 Mary Evans, Simone De Beauvoir, A Feminist Mandarin (1st edn, Tavistock
1985). Pp.76

Thus, it is evident that in many parts of the world, relations between the sexes
remain constructed around dialectic of male dominance and female passivity.58

All these factors place women back into the domestic sphere and the nature/culture
dichotomy where they are viewed as being closer to nature, thus regarded the
second sex, while men, continue to contribute more to society with their valuable
labour.
However, given Beauvoirs numerous definitions of man present throughout The
Second Sex, is it truly in the womans best interests to strive to attain equal social
status to that of man?
Evans argues that over the past twenty years, Western feminism has emphasised
the values which womans traditional roles entail, such as nurturing and caring for
others, and a morality which is less concerned with absolute, formal values than
with the maximisation of personal happiness and well-being 59. Many of the
traditional roles adopted by women are perceived as highly positive (raising a child
is a very loving and rewarding experience); therefore is it fair to suggest that women
are oppressed if they are doing what brings them happiness? Moreover, these are
activities that men may well occupy as well, thus casting a shadow of doubt on
Beauvoirs famous statement.
Therefore it could be argued that women shouldnt be made more like men, but men
should be more like women60. The man who appears in The Second Sex, and the
58 Ibid 77
59 ibid
60 ibid

prevailing image of what constitutes a man in the West, is emotionally inexpressive;

incapable of close relationships and is macho to the extent that his existence could
be considered an unenviable prototype of a human being.

61

Ultimately, a contemporary reading of The Second Sex might conclude that the
modern woman might not even want to achieve the same status in society and man.
In conclusion, this essay analysed Beauvoirs famous quote one is not born, but
rather becomes a woman which is where she suggests the notion of a gender
diverge through a series of traumatic events, and where Beauvoir develops her
concept of women being other.
Furthermore, the notion of women being closer to the realm of nature than culture
has also been discussed. It has been demonstrated that this concept persists and is
sometimes actively facilitated in modern-day society, and despite subtle
modifications, women are still devalued and subordinated.
Nevertheless, it might not be accurate to place the onus for inequalities purely on
society and male dominance, as critics such as Butler and Young argue that a lot of
this subordination is due to personal choice and internal conflicts. We are actors
carrying out performative actions.
For all it could be argued that women have come a long way since Beauvoir first
made her iconic statement, the fact remains that factors such as the pay gap and
insufficient legislation still act as barriers in the fight for equality. Therefore, true
equality cannot be achieved until legislators also start acknowledging the numerous
injustices that can be observed throughout society, and at least for now, it could be
argued that Beauvoirs famous injunction remains relevant to some extent.

61 Ibid 78

2732 words.

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