What’s the Complicated Legacy of Betty Friedan?

UnTextbooked | A history podcast for the future

In 1963, Betty Friedan’s book The Feminine Mystique was a galvanizing force for the Feminist movement. Now, nearly six decades later, feminist discourse has gone through several evolutions, Betty Friedan is no longer a household name, and her radical ideas don’t sound so radical anymore. This week, Producer Gavin Scott sits down with Rachel Shteir, author of “Betty Friedan: Magnificent Disrupter”, to talk about the legacy and controversy around Betty Friedan, including how she coined the term ‘Lavender Menace.’

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Show Notes:

(00:00) - Who is Betty Friedan?

(1:35) - Why did the Feminine Mystique resonate?

(4:51) - Critiques of the Feminine Mystique

(6:25) - Creating the National Organization of Women (NOW)

(7:26) - Betty Friedan’s Early Life

(9:12) - Betty Friedan’s Perspective on Women’s Rights

(10:45) - The “Lavender Menace”

(12:18) - Marriage and Domestic Abuse

(15:25) - Legacy & Impact

(16:45) - Gavin’s closing thoughts