A History of Ideas: Simone de Beauvoir on Feminine Beauty

BBC

A History of Ideas: Simone de Beauvoir on Feminine Beauty

Cognitive and TED collaboration

Harry Shearer on Simone de Beauvoir and Feminine Beauty

Ray Laurence

Is a woman born a woman? In her book ‘The Second Sex’, existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir says no - they become women through a largely male social construct of what feminine beauty should be. And that this ideal of ‘femininity’ constrains women, ignoring their intellect and talents. But it doesn’t have to be this way, because it is possible for women to reject stereotypes of beauty and find their own way.

Want to hear more on this topic?

Here’s the whole episode from A History of Ideas – Historian Simon Schaffer on Beauty and Evolution

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