StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Second wave feminism refers to the feminist activity period that started in the US in the 1960s. This broadened its focus from the first wave feminism which focused on suffrage and a battle for gender equality to a myriad of issues including sexuality, reproductive rights, family and workplace among others (DuBois and Dumenil 2012). …
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93.6% of users find it useful
Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism"

Download file to see previous pages

The second wave feminism battled against domestic violence, giving proposals on the establishment of marital rape laws, divorce laws and establishing shelters for battered women. As put by Scanlon, it was a movement of obsession with “women’s professional opportunities” and “about their dating prospects” (2009, x). It is believed to have ended in the early 1980s, paving way for third-wave feminism. The work and life of Helen Gurley Brown was observed as being impertinent and daring.

It entailed a celebration of feminism and the sexual practices that women enjoyed, thus giving an appropriate understanding of the second wave movement and further providing a vantage point to view the third wave feminism. Born in 1922 in Green Forest, Arkansas, Brown never noticed as she inherited some aspects of her young life and traditions (Scanlon 2009, 1). Her father died when she was young, something that caused her mother a lot of bitterness, claiming that the husband had enslaved her through motherhood and marriage and later left her alone even after she had quit her job to undertake these responsibilities.

The realization of her mother’s feelings opened up Brown to feminism (Scanlon 2009, 11). She grew up to author an international best-seller in 1962 titled, Sex and the Single Girl. Additionally, she became the editor of Cosmopolitan magazine for over thirty years, giving her audience articles such as “if you're not a sex object, you're in trouble” and “good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere” that brought out her feminist ideologies. Even so, Brown faced criticisms from various second wave feminists with regard to the messages carried in her books and the Cosmopolitan.

First, Brown was criticized of focusing on her individuality as opposed to the group identity of the body of women. Having come from a background of no education and poverty, Brown worked herself up the economic ladder and secured herself employment. She did not allow herself to be held back by structural barriers which she fought against on her way up from a secretary to a copywriter and further to a popular magazine editor (Scanlon 2009, 25). She did not prescribe to overthrowing systems but working towards change.

This saw her succeed in her career at Cosmopolitan, earning her a loyal movement of women who prescribed to her philosophies. The women and men equality that Brown prescribed to differed from what other feminists taught. Brown believed that the equality of women to men was in the sexual desire of women. She further alluded to their right to be sexual whether outside or inside marriage. In Cosmopolitan, Brown wrote articles promoting not just economic access equality but also sexual freedom equality.

She was an ardent supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, ERA alongside her support for rights to abortion (Scanlon 2009, 256). The second-wave feminists considered men in the then patriarchal society as enemies because they limited opportunities for women. These men took advantage of the caring and nurturing nature of women to confine them to motherhood, denying them their chances in the professional world. These feminists perceived marriage and children as tools used by men to oppress women.

On the contrary, Brown did not consider men as enemies, choosing to perceive women as being equal to men in all aspects including their ability to abuse power and playing the games men play in dating. She was therefore criticized of having been absorbed into a system that was oppressive to women. However, Brown argued that she was being a realist and appreciated that if men made rules, then women should have

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism Essay”, n.d.)
Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1494127-wiki
(Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism Essay)
Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism Essay. https://studentshare.org/history/1494127-wiki.
“Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1494127-wiki.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Helen Gurley Brown and Second Wave Feminism

Second Wave Feminism

second wave feminism has just ended, but already has made a profound impact on society.... Through these four books, the reader is able to see the many facets of second wave feminism, and is able to better understand the reasons behind the movement.... second wave feminism allowed for not just the female majority to demand rights, but also the minority.... The second wave called for economic equality.... The third wave stands on the shoulders of the second wave, finishing what they began, while creating a legacy for the next generation to come....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

The Major Issues and Concerns of Feminism

Third Wave feminists often critique second wave feminism for its lack of attention to the difference among women due to race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, and emphasize 'identity' as a site of gender struggle.... Feminism waned between the two world wars, to be 'revived' in the late 1960s and early 1970s as 'second wave' feminism.... In this second wave, feminists pushed beyond the early quest for political rights to fight for greater equality across the board, e....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Twin Peaks - Fan Culture and Social Identities

second, the developments in television genre occur simultaneously with developments in sub-culture.... In a country where 98% have at least one television, 70% have more than one television, 70% have cable, and 51% of households with children have a computer (Paik 1994, p.... 19), the potency of media in general and television in particular cannot be overemphasized....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Radical feminist vs Liberal feminism

Joy discusses radical feminism in respect to black women who had and some still continue to face injustice, unfairness and inferiority as a result of the society being patriarchal.... This radical feminism is the same as black feminism for the black women who want to show no only their men but the whole society in general Radical feminist vs.... Liberal feminism Joy discusses radical feminism in respect to black women who had and some still continue to face injustice, unfairness and inferiority as a result of the society being patriarchal....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Paper

The Third Wave of Feminism

These issues, much like in the second wave of feminism, will only become marginalized by other social outcries such as welfare that are apparent and seem to need greater attention.... The paper "The Third Wave of feminism" describes that the third wave has had great success since it has touched on a wide range of issues of which most have been implemented.... Radical feminism has proven to be the more effective choice of action since it promotes a greater, positive dialogue and initiates a course of action in support of feminist ideals....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay

What Feminism Is

Third Wave feminists often critique second wave feminism for its lack of attention to the difference among women due to race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, and emphasize 'identity' as a site of gender struggle.... Feminism waned between the two world wars, to be 'revived' in the late 1960s and early 1970s as 'second wave' feminism.... In this second wave, feminists pushed beyond the early quest for political rights to fight for greater equality across the board, e....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

The Relationship between Feminism and Religion

The paper 'The Relationship between feminism and Religion' presents the nineteenth and twentieth centuries which saw the proliferation of new ideas and expressions which radically altered the world.... hellip; feminism is also a part of that intellectual movement.... The relationship between feminism and religion has been complex.... The research paper uses the examples of “Islamic feminism” and “Wiccan feminism” to arrive at the conclusion that alternative religions offer better opportunities for women to practice and adhere to their religion....
5 Pages (1250 words) Term Paper

Anime Beer is Slow to Win Over the Ladies

This paper stresses that the marketing plan focused on the best approach to ensure the success of the newly introduced ladies beer brand known as Animee Beer.... This came about after the failure of the brand to command a significant market share within four months.... hellip; According to the study, the analysis in this plan provides the opportunity to allow best strategic approaches that the company can implement to facilitate achievements of the key strategic goals....
15 Pages (3750 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us