De Beauvoir Research Articles

Sobre mascaradas y disfraces en “Los celosos” de Silvina Ocampo

In this article, I will analyze the short story “Los celosos” (1988) by the Argentine writer Silvina Ocampo. In this story, the protagonist is a woman named Irma Peinate who uses a great deal of wigs, false eyelashes, high heels, and makeup to satisfy her husband. One day, her husband sees her without any accessories and does not recognize her. I propose that the sacrifice the woman undergoes is a kind of “masquerade” of femininity. This masquerade is to be accepted by her husband, but also by a society that aspires to the prototype of European beauty. The theories put forward by Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex (1953), Luce Irigaray in The Sex Which is Not One (1985), and “Masquerade Reconsidered: Further Thoughts on the Female Spectator” (1989) by Mary Anne Doane have been central to examining the concept of “feminine masquerade.”

When the past becomes future-like: A phenomenological study of memory, time, and self-familiarity

AbstractThis paper sets out a phenomenological account of how the autobiographical past can, on occasion, assume certain future-like qualities. I begin by reflecting on the analogy of a bore wave, as employed in a novel by Julian Barnes. Building on this, I turn to Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre in order to address how our memories are revised in light of our current concerns and vice versa. Then, by adapting Edmund Husserl’s conception of temporal “protention,” I show how acts of remembering are integral to a process of ongoing reconciliation between our current orientation towards the future and the autobiographical past. They sustain, disrupt, and reconsolidate a non-localized, dynamic sense of who we are, in ways that are inseparable from how we experience time.

The Forgotten Sex: Modern Responses to Correlative Sexism in Kang Youwei and He-Yin Zhen

Abstract The oversight of Chinese feminist traditions in transnational feminist discourse is remarkable given China’s historical importance and vast population. Despite historical suppression by Confucianism, Chinese feminisms emerged at the turn of the last century, drawing from Marxist, anarchist, and liberal movements. While scholars increasingly recognize overlooked female thinkers like Ban Zhao, contemporary discussions of China often revolve around reconciling Confucianism and feminism. This tendency underscores the perception of Chinese feminism as a derivative of Western feminism, where modern thinkers reject local culture for transnational movements. This paper contends that Chinese feminists, including Kang Youwei and He-Yin Zhen, remained deeply rooted in their traditions. While Kang incorporated foreign ideas to advocate for feminist goals and modernize society, he predominantly engaged with traditional philosophy to address its sexist elements. Similarly, He-Yin’s anarcho-feminist approach integrated Western influences to engage with traditional Chinese thought rather than rejecting it outright. By examining prevalent gender and selfhood concepts in traditional Chinese thought, this paper elucidates the notion of “correlative sexism,” and argues that women were not primarily regarded as a “second sex” as described by Simone de Beauvoir. The paper then demonstrates how Kang and He-Yin responded to this sexist discourse, offering novel perspectives on women’s liberation and societal reform.

The Many Faces of Birthing Freedom

Abstract What would birth be like in a feminist world? In this essay, I explore this question, asking what feminist freedom means in relation to birthing. Engaging in an imaginative inquiry that is rooted in respect for plurality, I explore the multifaceted dimensions of what we, as feminists, are fighting for in relation to birth. Building on a diverse array of feminist theories and philosophies of freedom (including the work of Simone de Beauvoir, Drucilla Cornell, and Marilyn Frye) and inspired by the work of Iris Marion Young on the five faces of oppression, I outline five faces of birthing freedom, namely: (1) freedom from oppression, (2) freedom to labor, (3) freedom to be-in-relation, (4) freedom from violence, and (5) freedom to imagine. I argue that these faces are all necessary conditions for the realization of birthing freedom. At the same time, the five faces of birth freedom that I outline here are only provisional and are grounded in my specific standpoint. My approach recognizes plurality and is not meant to be exhaustive but rather hopes to spark imaginings, invite extensions and revisions, and initiate conversations.

Reconsidering Fromm and feminisms, part II: a case for psychosocial compatibilities

This article continues an earlier one about how the work of Erich Fromm and feminist theories are compatible despite the connection usually remaining overlooked. Drawing on Fromm’s critique of Freud’s analysis of Dora, but also going further, I argue that associating Fromm and contemporary feminist thought is particularly important in the context of growing authoritarianism on the right and sometimes as reflected also on the left. The article elaborates upon five points of ‘psychosocial compatibility’ between Fromm’s humanistic vision and the ideas of several well-known feminist theorists including Simone de Beauvoir, Nancy Chodorow, Jessica Benjamin and others. The five points of psychosocial compatibility addressed between From and contemporary feminisms as addressed here are: connecting the personal and the political while stressing the prefigurative; kindred issues concerning objectification and self-love; emphases on relatedness and the pre-oedipal stage of human development; concerns about multi-dimensionality and intersectionality; and shared political beliefs aimed at overcoming gender and other oppressive inequalities

Portrait of a Lady on Fire: Deconstruction of Female Identity

Abstract: Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a drama film directed by Cline Sciamma and starring Adle Haenel and Nomie Merlant. The film centers on the passionate love story between Heloise, a bride on the brink of marriage, and Marianne, the painter commissioned to create her portrait. This paper analyses the construction and deconstruction of female identity in Portrait of a Lady on Fire through the lenses of gaze theory and feminist identity theory. It begins by exploring Heloise's resistance to the objectifying male gaze, illustrated through her defiance against the passive model identity and her challenge to the myth of Orpheus, which traditionally casts women in powerlessness and rescue role. The paper then delves into the film's critique of the roles of wife and mother within the patriarchal, heteronormative family structure, drawing on Simone de Beauvoir's ideas in The Second Sex to further contextualize the film's feminist discourse. Through these analyses, the paper reveals how the film reimagines and challenges traditional female identities, offering a detailed and subtle portrayal of women's autonomy and identity.

Can the Story of Eve (Genesis 2-3) be Interpreted as Feminist

This essay will argue that Eve in Genesis 2-3 cannot be interpreted as feminist as her story, tied to Adam, is inherently patriarchal. I will argue against three points that form the basis of a feminist re-interpretation of Genesis 2-3: that Adam is ungendered, that Eve is made from Adam’s side rather than his rib, and, that Eve is Adam’s suitable helper rather than his subordinate. I argue that feminist and traditional interpretations of Eve define her existence in relation to Adam’s prior existence. In this way, Eve consistently represents the Other, as she is defined only in reference to the Subject Adam, a man (De Beauvoir, 1949, 26). Eve is incidental while Adam is essential, and for a representation to be truly feminist it must show the woman as the Subject.

Gendering Empire: A Historiographical Exploration

In her landmark work in feminist theory The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir argues how gender is a totalising, transformative social experience. In this essay, I will argue that this total construction of power and identity finds resonance the colonial project. As alluded to in Franz Fanon’s vision of decolonisation, colonialism wholly moulds and creates individuals. The link is established in using gender as a category of historical analysis for empires, where the principal analytical prism is a Foucauldian dispersion of power, in which power emanates through knowledge-fields, discourse and social relations rather than through simple, unmasked, top-down imposition. Two strands emerge: the genealogy of power and the reproduction of power. The former traces how gender has contributed to moulding, naturalising and essentialising colonial hierarchies, while the latter addresses how historical writing itself illuminates or occludes narratives, agencies and subjectivities, in turn creating new meanings. However, gender as a category of historical analysis is useful for historians of empire, contingent upon the adoption of an intersectional approach that does not posit gender as primary to other axes of oppression. Furthermore, the consciousness of its inessentiality – particularly that of the binary – is necessary to avoid perpetuating Eurocentrism and its specific demarcation of the concepts of gender and race.

The Quest for Identity and Self-Discovery: A Study of Existential Crisis in Anuradha Roy’s The Folded Earth

The main objective of this term paper is to analyze the theme of existential crisis in Anuradha Roy’s famous novel The Folded Earth. The term “existential crisis” refers to facing the crisis of one's existence. This mainly talks about how people view themselves, as well as their meaning and goals in life. When people feel unsure about their purpose, options, or freedom in life, they are experiencing an existential crisis. Many persons who experience existential anxiety believe that life is meaningless and that there is no purpose to it. Confused thoughts concerning one's sense of identity might also result from an existential crisis. Some of the greatest existential philosophers and writers are Friedrick Nitzsche, Hegel, Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Albert Camus and Simon de Beauvoir, etc. This novel The Folded Earth is written by Roy, a recent Sahitya Akademi Award winner, which traces the story of a young woman Maya who creates a new life for herself in the foothills of the Himalayas. It deals with how she becomes alone in her life and questions her existence in this world. It is a time of internal turmoil for Maya when she struggles with self-identity, meaning, and purpose in life. She fights with many traumatic experiences like alienation, anxiety, depression, identity crisis, etc. Then, after leaving her tragedy behind, he decides to go for exploring a new life. Thus, this novel explores the "new woman identity" in modern-day society. The theme of this novel is based on political and religious conflicts in society, patriarchal suppression, inequality, the psychological instincts of a person, identity crisis, and the desire for a new peaceful life. Although the novel has various themes the effect of existential crisis is dominant over the novel.

Gendered Authorship of the Female Identity: A Gynocritical Comparative Study between Norwegian Wood and the God of Small Things

The paper seeks to elucidate the differences in the representation of women in male- and female-authored texts, specifically analyzing Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Numerous critics over the years have noted that male and female authors often portray femininity in markedly different ways. While male authors tend to perpetuate prejudiced or stereotypical views of women, female authors, drawing from their direct experiences of womanhood, provide more authentic depictions that foster female empowerment. Theoretically identifying this marked difference is thus the primary aim of this paper and hence this study employs a qualitative textual analysis, utilizing theoretical frameworks such as Michel Foucault’s discourses of sexuality, Elaine Showalter’s gynocriticism, Hélène Cixous’s écriture féminine, Judith Butler’s gender performativity, and Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of gender stereotypes. The findings reveal a significant divergence in the way that male- and female-authored texts characterize female figures. Murakami, in his portrayal of Naoko and Midori, has often associated reductive and stereotypical attributes that in essence undermine their agencies and voices; their attributes and mannerisms were shown to be limited to emotional and/or sexual contexts that conflate the female experience and undermine gender fluidity. In contrast, Roy depicted Ammu and Rahel in accordance to feminist sensibilities as they can be seen to portray androgyny as well as employ their sexualities to challenge and subvert social norms and stereotypes. The study therefore concludes that women-authored narratives provide more nuanced and authentic representations of female experiences, whereas male-authored texts frequently reinforce patriarchal frameworks and stereotypical assumptions of one-dimensional gender linearity.

The reception of feminist ideas about gender and gender equality in Simone de Beauvoir’s “The second sex” in Vietnam

In recent decades, as the world strives toward a democratic, just, equal, and progressive society for all, significant progress has been made in global gender equality. However, gender-based discrimination regarding fundamental human rights still persists in many places, particularly in poorer countries. These gaps or discriminations stem from gender prejudices that value men over women, and from a lack of profound and comprehensive understanding of women's roles and positions in society, often disregarding the principle of gender equality. Notably, gender equality is one of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, to which Vietnam has committed, aiming to achieve gender equality in key areas of social life. Currently, feminist theories and gender equality concepts are diverse and abundant, encompassing various perspectives. Nevertheless, in practice, women still do not enjoy true equality. In Vietnam, the feminist movement is not a protest against unjust laws or gender-discriminatory institutions, but rather against deeply rooted prejudices and norms that have disadvantaged women for centuries. In the feudal society, the image of women was incredibly diminutive, wholly dependent on men: “Preference for males over females.” These sayings caused women to forget their intrinsic value. Achieving the aforementioned goal requires the realization of freedom for women, progressing toward women's liberation and achieving gender equality. Based on these considerations, this article analyzes the reception of feminist ideas about gender and gender equality in Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" in Vietnam. By examining the historical and social context of Vietnam, the author aims to demonstrate how feminist ideas on gender equality in Beauvoir's work have influenced the perception of women's roles in contemporary Vietnamese society. The reception of these feminist ideas in Vietnam, whether positive or negative, contributes to a clearer understanding of the development of gender equality thought in the history of humanity in general and in Vietnam in particular.

Autistic trans camouflaging: an early phenomenological exploration

ABSTRACT Autistic people often camouflage, i.e. they adopt certain behaviors in order to fit in in neurotypical environments. Autobiographical accounts suggest that autistic trans people experience camouflaging in a unique, more complex and often heightened way than cis autistic people, and this has not been studied. They have autistic traits to mask, as well as gendered traits, in a hostile neuronormative and cisnormative world. This intersection of experience is worthy of exploration, not least because this group of people are typically misunderstood and silenced, as well as being particularly at risk of the mental distress that can come from camouflaging. In this paper I discuss autistic trans people’s accounts of camouflaging and begin a preliminary phenomenological analysis. I draw primarily from Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of “doubling”, whereby (cis) women experience being both oneself and the image of oneself, under patriarchal objectification. One can argue that autistic people are similarly “doubled” when camouflaging, experiencing their neurodivergent selves as well as their more neurotypical presentation. Going beyond de Beauvoir, it can be further argued that many trans people experience “tripling” and therefore that trans autistic people experience being at least “quadrupled” if not “quintupled”.

ANALYSIS OF GENDER EQUALITY: THE ROLE WOMEN IN TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF SIKHISM IN MEDAN CITY

This research aims to analyze gender equality in the teachings and practices of Sikhism in Medan City. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with key informants, participant observation, and document analysis. The research results show that the teachings of Sikhism emphasize gender equality between men and women. This is reflected in various Sikh sacred texts, such as the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which contains stories and teachings about strong and inspiring women. Sikh teachings and practices in Medan demonstrate a strong commitment to gender equality. These Sikh principles are in line with Simone De Beauvoir's feminist theory, she emphasizes and encourages that women must believe they have equal rights and abilities to manage their own lives. and the Sikh Religion in Medan is active in realizing gender equality through various programs and activities. It is important to note that this analysis only provides a brief overview of the role and position of women in Sikh teachings and practices in Medan through the lens of feminist theory. These challenges include patriarchy that still exists in society, gender stereotypes, and women's lack of access to education and economic opportunities. This research recommends several efforts to improve gender equality in the Sikh Religion in Medan. These efforts include education about gender equality, women's empowerment, and increasing women's participation in various aspects of life in society.

How to Enhance Female Self-Perception and Social Role Awareness in Adolescent Education Through The Second Sex

This paper explores how Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex can be utilized in adolescent education to enhance female self-perception and social role awareness. The Second Sex critically examines the socio-cultural construction of femininity, arguing that gender roles are not innate but socially imposed. By integrating Beauvoir’s insights into the educational curriculum, young women are encouraged to critically analyze the external narratives shaping their identities and societal roles. The paper discusses key themes from The Second Sex, such as the myth of the “Eternal Feminine,” the socialization of girls, and the critique of traditional gender expectations. It highlights classroom strategies, including reflective writing, media analysis, debates, and collaborative learning, which empower students to challenge conformity, build critical thinking skills, and redefine their roles in society. Through this approach, educators can foster a supportive environment that inspires young women to actively shape their identities and resist restrictive societal norms, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and self-aware generation.

The effects of women's double working hours on professional nursing practice

Objective: Reflect on the double working day of female nurses and its consequences for professional practice. Methodology: This is a theoretical and reflective study based on the theoretical perspective of the sociology of work, together with the theoretical references of Simone de Beauvoir and Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A narrative review of the literature was carried out in a non-systematic way in order to establish relationships between the theoretical framework selected and current issues in nursing, as well as women's experiences. Results: The logical-reflective exposition is anchored in three fundamental aspects: the working nurse; the double working day and the health of working nurses. It's not possible to look at women only as workers, since their biological reality is closely linked to their social representation. This implies the need to investigate how the social construction of women directly interferes with their lives in an integral way. Such reflection can contribute to valuing nursing work, as well as fostering discussion about the social role of women. Conclusion: This reflection needs to be present in society as a whole, not just in the context of nursing, so that women's demands, which have been evident throughout history, can be noted.

WE ARE [TRULY] DIFFERENT: OTHERING IN INTER-ETNIC RELATION IN ROYYAN JULIAN’S SHORT STORY

Royyan Julian’s short story entitled “Di Malam Bulan Darah, Mogut Menyantap Jenazah Orang Kafir” [On the Night of the Blood Moon, Mogut Eats the Body of Infidel] (2019) captures the relationship among different ethnic groups, religions and gender in Madura. Set in Madura Island, the story uncovers more than just relation between Chinese and Madurese people and between female and male characters. This paper is focusing on inter-ethnic and inter-religion relation in the short story. This analysis used qualitative method and data collection used close-reading. Drawing theoretical inspiration from Simone de Beauvoir with a particular emphasis on the Other and Richard Jenkins’ theory on Social Identity, this study reveals how different identities bring different treatment, evaluation, and prejudice which led to othering. Through his short story, Royyan Julian discloses binary opposition related to ethnicities, religions, and gender. The hierarchy and power imbalance imposed on male and female characters in the story bring devastated impact on female character just because she has different identity from the majority of Muslims in Madura.

Simone de Beauvoir’s Philosophy of Ambiguity: A Contribution Towards Feminist Film-phenomenology

This review concerns Ambiguous Cinema: From Simone de Beauvoir to Feminist Film-Phenomenology, a work that applies Beauvoir’s existential philosophy of ambiguity to a selection of films by independent women filmmakers, demonstrating how cinema and philosophy may rethink life from new ethical-political perspectives through embodied epistemology and empathy.

Others in My Aging (Confronting de Beauvoir, Malabou, and Heidegger to Make Sense of Aging)

After a critical analysis of Simone de Beauvoir’s and Catherine Malabou’s accounts of aging, the paper offers an alternative to them. In contrast to de Beauvoir and Malabou, it explores the actual share of other beings, both human and non-human, in one’s aging. The paper employs the Heideggerian ontological framework and his concepts of “bodying” and gesture to argue that changes induced by others do not damage or contaminate one’s being but allow the disclosure of someone’s particularity in its undefinable character.

On Becoming Human and Being Humane: Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Species Rights

This essay focuses on the nexus of vulnerability and rights. It argues that in transforming vulnerability from a stigma that alienated women from their humanity to the signature of human dignity, women bridged the gap between the liberatory promise of human rights and its exploitative patriarchal politics. It finds that the ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft, Simone de Beauvoir, Drucilla Cornell, and Jean-Luc Nancy were/are crucial to this transformed idea of dignity. Religious ideas have played a complex role in this transformation. Wollstonecraft appealed to theological ideas of the soul to contest men’s claims that the Bible enshrined women’s subordination to men. Current abortion politics in the U.S., and the Iranian women’s Women, Life, Freedom rebellion continue to show how sacred texts have been used to defend and reject women’s demands for rights. Religious and secular arguments for the dignity of vulnerability, used by feminists to re-write the sexual difference, direct us to rethink our exploitative relationship to the earth and the multiple species it harbors. As we take up the task of confronting the environmental crisis of our times, they call on us to see ourselves as stewards of the earth’s bounty who are morally obliged to create humane relationships with our other-than-human neighbors.

Compliance and the Second Sex

As women’s participation becomes increasingly visible within far-right movements, the question of agency is often brought up; are women in the far-right agents? Although this question has been explored before, only a limited sect of this literature has analyzed this phenomenon through a feminist theoretical lens. This is notable considering much of women’s participation stems from an initial rejection of feminist values, often citing feminism as being the root cause of their lack of quality of life. Throughout this paper, I will argue that women’s agency in far-right movements can be better explained through the application of Simone de Beauvoir’s theoretical framework. I will situate this argument within a literature review that analyzes the previous understandings of women’s agency within the far-right. Following this, I will additionally present literature on hegemonic masculinity and its relationship to far-right women’s complicity. Furthermore, the strength of using de Beauvoir’s theoretical framework to analyze women of the far right will be asserted through an analysis of the case study of Ayla Stewart, an infamous far-right online influence. This paper ultimately aims to answer the following: How can de Beauvoir’s theoretical framework help better understand the agency of women within far-right political and social movements?