Simone de Beauvoir and the Making of Modern Feminist Thought: A Critical Reappraisal of The Second Sex

Author(s)	Snigdha Mazumder, Ashaduzzaman Khan
Country	India
Abstract	Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex and its seminal contribution to contemporary feminist philosophy are critically reexamined in this essay. Essentialist ideas of gender were undermined by De Beauvoir’s claim that “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,” which placed the social, cultural, and historical creation of femininity front and center. She offered a radical paradigm that still shapes feminist discussions of equality, freedom, and subjectivity by examining the connections between existentialist philosophy, patriarchy, and women lived experiences. This study reexamines The Second Sex as a revolutionary manifesto that opposed repressive structures and paved the way for other feminist theories, such as intersectional, radical, and socialist feminism, in addition to being a foundational philosophical work. The paper highlights the lasting significance of de Beauvoir’s observations in the development of modern feminist thinking and in gender conversation today through this critical reconsideration.
Keywords	Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, modern feminist thought, existentialism, gender construction, patriarchy, feminist philosophy
Field	Sociology > Philosophy / Psychology / Religion
Published In	Volume 6, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-09-14
DOI	https://doi.org/10.63363/aijfr.2025.v06i05.1332
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g93rms

About AIJFR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-91574-37535	editor@aijfr.com

Advanced International Journal for Research