A couple years ago, my friend handed me my birthday present that I insisted she get me. It was a white T-shirt with pink block text reading, "FEMINIST KILLJOY." Unfortunately, the shirt was way too big to wear proudly, but many people wouldn't be surprised that I own it. Most of my peers are tired of hearing me talk about social issues, but hopefully Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko won't be by the end of the year.
Although I've learned a lot about the good, bad, and ugly of third-wave feminism (a.k.a the feminism we're currently experiencing now), I still have yet to learn about second-wave feminism (the feminism of the 1960's). There's no better place to start than The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. The book (originally intended to be a magazine article, but no magazine would publish it) discusses Friedan's research about the collective unhappiness of housewives. A quick Google search of the title reveals the words "groundbreaking," "classic," and "life-changing" in the results. I chose the book for its place as a touchstone and starting place for many modern feminists (second-wave feminism is sometimes called radical feminism; third-wave, liberal). Beyond learning, I also hope to apply much of what I have learned about sociology and sexism. I begin my reading with several questions: how has feminism changed in the last few decades? What are ways in which second-wave feminism is lacking? What are ways in which third-wave feminism is lacking? Is one better than the other? Are there issues or groups of people that feminism has ignored and continues to neglect? By the time I finish the book, I wish to have at least partial answers to these questions.
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