Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique"

Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique," published in 1963, examines the dissatisfaction of women in the 1950s and early 1960s, particularly those who were homemakers. Friedan argues that society's idealization of domesticity and women's roles as wives and mothers limited their potential and led to a sense of unfulfillment. She identifies this hidden discontent as the "problem that has no name," advocating for women's empowerment, education, and participation in the workforce. The book is credited with sparking the second-wave feminist movement, challenging traditional gender roles, and encouraging women to seek personal and professional identities beyond the home.