irgin news by Virginia

In her book review in this issue Sheila has discussed an interesting book, "The Feminine Mystique". I asked her to review this book because it is an interesting com- mentary on the absurdities and arteficialities of society. In this particular book the discussion has to do with women but another book could and should be written about men.

Betty Friden, the authoress of this book, shows how women, partly for commercial and partly for masculine reasons, have been sold a bill of goods about how the only "true" and "proper" femininity is to be found in the home and the total rightful goal and purpose of women should be as a homemaker. Women were breaking out of this stultifying condition as a result of the efforts to- ward achieving the vote and the general emancipation which developed from it. This was aided and abetted by the manpower needs in the factories during World War 11 which women filled. After the war home applicance and food manufacturers anxious to sell more appliances, de- tergents, etc. felt it necessary to drive women back in- to the home in order for them to "need" these goods and to buy them. A regular campaign was set up glorifying the "true" femininity of the homemaker until women who had careers or who were in the process of doing anything constructive and satisfying were made to feel that they were losing the feminine birthright.

Thousands of women who began to feel this way left jobs and careers and sought the mystical goal of true

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