Seeking Simone

Simone's Story

 

Simone de Beauvoir was born in 1908 in Paris. She grew up in a society in which girls were expected to get married and have babies. Simone grew up questioning the role assigned to women. She read widely and studied hard to be able to do a Philosophy degree at the Sorbonne University in Paris. She dreamed of being a writer.

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Although she wanted to write novels, it was her book The Second Sex, published in 1949 for which she became well known. The Second Sex has been described by many as one of the most important books of the twentieth century. In it, she argues that women have been treated as the second sex throughout history. She explains why there is no reason that women should not be treated as men’s equals. She also advocates for women to have the freedom to choose the way they want to live their lives. These were considered very radical ideas in her time by both women and men, and the book caused a scandal.

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The Second Sex sold many copies. It was translated into other languages and was read by women around the world. It had a profound influence on women’s thinking about how they thought about the world and their place within it.

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75 years on, what is the impact and relevance of Simone de Beauvoir’s book now?  Have you read it? Is your life better because of it? In many parts of the world women still struggle hard for equality and freedom. Can we still learn from Simone de Beauvoir today?