Simone de Beauvoir

 


I have learned a lot about Simone de Beauvoir during this trip, and I am not sure how to feel about her. She definitely did some great things but she also believed in some questionable things. One thing I have learned about her is that she wrote The Second Sex which is a book that discusses the treatment of women in the present society as well as throughout all of history. In Simone de Beauvoir's work she goes after both men and women which I kind of like. Another thing I have learned about her is that she didn’t believe in marriage. She had a long time partner but they also were in an open relationship. Both of these ideas I don’t believe in. I can understand why a woman may not want to get married because they essentially became their husband's property, but not believing it as a whole I don’t love. 

Simone de Beauvoir was a trailblazer in women's academics, especially philosophy. She helped pave the way in being comfortable to speak out against societal gender roles and feel ok to challenge them. Her work has inspired women to question their societal roles and has fueled feminist movements around the world. I think this is a very important contribution. It is because of women like her that I am able to have some freedoms in my life that I likely would not have had. However, I do have to say, I am perfectly happy to be a stay at home mom. It is actually my dream. I want to be in the home and be with my children and do my own preschool for them. So I thank her for helping other women be able to get their dreams as well. 

I had no idea if she was commemorated well so I had to do some research. One thing I found was a bridge in her honor. * I don’t know if they were meaning this when they made it but I feel like the bridge could symbolize her work helping women get from one side of land to the other. Through her work women are able to get places they never would have before! I love this so I think a bridge is a great memorial item! Furthermore, I also like how she was one of the women who had kisses on her grave. It is hard to miss a lipstick filled grave so it helps other people to stop by it and learn about her. I think these two things are a great commemoration. 



*https://www.citedelarchitecture.fr/fr/oeuvre/passerelle-simone-de-beauvoir-detail-de-la-structure-de-la-lentille-0

Comments

  1. Audrey FergusonMay 6, 2024 at 2:41 PM

    Molly, I love your thoughts on Simone de Beauvoir! I also don’t know how to feel about her too. I think her lifestyle and the way she fought for women right stood as a obstacle in her life. Her life was a bit controversial and unusual in her time. She wasn’t afraid to call out both men and women which I like but they could also bring people to dislike her because of that. Overall she didn’t let people opinion get to her.

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