Simone De Beauvoir: “Whenever a woman behaves as a human being she is said to imitate the male.”

 In-depth interview: “Well, first of all, I did do something about it: I wrote an entire 900 page book”

Wed, April 5, 1972

By: Maria Jose Vargas Uribe

Photo Credit: Pinterest

It has been 23 years since Simone De Beauvoir published her famous book The Second Sex, and last week in an interview with Le Nouvel Observateur she declared herself a feminist. I had the amazing opportunity to talk with her about her book, feminism, marriage, women’s sexual liberation, and the meaning of being a woman in the 20th century. 

I think the first and most important question is why now? In The Second Sex, you didn’t call yourself a feminist, and now 23 years after, you declared yourself a militant feminist, what changed? 

Well, to be honest back in the ‘40s the feminist movement was not as big as it is today. The liberation movement was reformist and legalist, which is the main reason I never wanted to join them. However, in present days the movement has become revolutionary and actually does something for a change in society, making it worthy of support.  

You support the feminist movement because it’s becoming revolutionary. Do you think that before it was not worth supporting a cause you believed in, why start doing something now, 23 years later? 

Well, first of all, I did do something about it: I wrote an entire 900 page book. That question is so out of place. Just because I defined myself as a feminist this year does not mean I was not doing anything for women’s rights and equality. Did you really read my book? I finished my book by stating that I was not a feminist, because back then I thought that the solution for women's problems was found in a socialist evolution in society, while to be a feminist was to fight for specific feminist demands, and not women's rights as a whole. 

As we both know there are controversies surrounding “feminism” and what it stands for. What is your definition of feminism?

Well, to be honest, my definition has changed over the years, but in this moment of my life I define a feminist as women or men who fight to change women’s condition in this patriarchal society. This is why I call myself a feminist now, mainly because I realized that before the socialism of “our” dreams happens, it's necessary to fight for women’s rights and equal conditions. Plus, I also realized that in socialist countries gender equality does not exist. As I told you before, I have changed since then; now I am fully a feminist. 

In your book The Second Sex, you mention marriage and how it can be an obstacle for women. What is your overall view on marriage? How does yours work? 

So for me, marriage is a very complicated institution for both men and women. I think it is in some ways dangerous, dangerous for men who feel trapped and saddled with a wife and children to support, dangerous for women who are not able to be financially independent, and end up depending on a man who throws them away when they reach the age of 40, and lastly dangerous for kids, because in most cases parents vent their frustrations and hatred on them, causing traumas or physiological and emotional conditions such as depression.  

Now for my marriage, it's different you know. Many people don't agree with how my marriage works, while others call us a model couple. We can describe it as an open marriage, not really a marriage, as we are free to engage openly in any number of relationships. I mean, we are two of a kind, and our relationship has lasted a long time full of happiness, but it could not make up entirely for the fleeting riches to be had from encounters with different people. 

And that is where I’m going to leave it. That's all I will say. 

In The Second Sex introduction you talk about men’s view of women. Has that changed? Or do you still go by your beliefs on this subject?  

I still go by my beliefs, even though 23 years have passed since I published “The Second Sex” and we are starting a new era and even have men on our side. Misogyny, and the patriarchal ideas still exist and are very predominant. I mean have you seen the ads in the newspapers and magazines? Men still see us as an object, someone less than them, when they should see us as equals. 

Have you ever been treated unfairly or in a misogynistic way by a man? 

Up until now, to be honest, I have always gotten along with the men surrounding me and in my personal life. I have noticed that there's a misconception about feminist women hating men: we don't hate them; we just don't want to be eaten up by them. Although, now that I think about it, when The Second Sex was just published it was not well received in France. Before publishing it I thought that there wasn't much difference between men and women, but after the publication people said I had ridiculed the French male because I was suggesting equality between the sexes. Eventually, I noticed that some of my male friendships were really very deceptive. 

I will continue with the topic of The Second Sex, specifically, in chapter 14 “The independent woman”, you talk about women’s sexual liberation and the prejudices in appearance. Have you ever unknowingly fallen into these prejudices? 

To be honest, I have; I guess all women fall upon them at some point. We see a woman dressed as what society will call a “la putain” and we judge them. I think it is mainly because of the societal ideas of what a respectable woman should look like that we were born into, and I mean this literally; at birth we make the ridiculous choice of a pink or blue blanket. We are formed into the femininity standard, you know, and that is something I have worked on, and thankfully I can say I don't do that anymore. Clothes don't define our worth as women. 

Women’s sexual liberation has been a very discussed topic in feminism. What’s your take on this? 

Well as I explained in the book a woman usually devalues herself sexually because society has imposed sexual norms on us. If she has sex before marriage, or has “too much sex” she will be considered and I quote a “Slut; open for business”, when it should be the complete contrary, as sex is a natural biological desire, and woman should enjoy it as well as men do. The bad thing here is how the free woman and the easy woman are stubbornly confused. 

Talking about sexual liberation, some feminists defend and practice homosexuality as a weapon to exclude men. What do you think about this? And homosexuality as a whole? 

Well, I think that homosexuality takes a very important role in this fight, but up until a point. What I mean by this is when women become obsessed by their sexuality in this movement, there is the possibility of putting heterosexuals off the movement.

Now for homosexuality, I think that in itself, homosexuality is as limiting as heterosexuality. The ideal should be to be capable of loving a woman or a man; either, a human being, without feeling fear, restraint, or obligation.

Lastly, what do you think about young feminists? What will you say to them, especially young girl feminists born in a patriarchal environment? 

Well, I would love for them to understand they need to fight for their rights and equality, because all oppression creates a state of war. And this is no exception. Men are at war with women for power and to defend the idea that there is a better sex.

Bibliography: 

Appignanesi, L. (2005, June 10). Did Simone de Beauvoir's open 'marriage' make her happy? The Guardian. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/10/gender.politicsphilosophyandsociety

Goodreads. (n.d.). Simone de Beauvoir Quotes (author of the second sex). Goodreads. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5548.Simone_de_Beauvoir?page=1

Moorehead, C. (1974, June 2). A talk with Simone de Beauvoir. The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/02/archives/a-talk-with-simone-de-beauvoirr-marriage-is-an-alienating.html

Salient. Victoria University student newspaper. volume 35 number 6. April 11, 1972. New Zealand Electronic Text Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2021, from http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Salient35061972-t1-body-d14.html