What is the importance of the second sex by de beauvoir?

Answer 1

Simone de Beauvoir states that every civilisation creates a Self (those living within the accepted realms of society) and simultaneously an Other. The Other is seen as inferior to the Self and this dichotomy is most commonly used in race and gender politics. So, de Beauvoir is arguing that men are the Self and women are the Other, as women were still widely treated as second-class citizens at the time of writing.

Answer 2

"The Second Sex" by Simone de Beauvoir is a seminal work in feminist philosophy and gender studies. It examines the ways in which women have been historically marginalized and oppressed by societal structures, and calls for women to transcend their traditionally defined roles and achieve independence and self-actualization. The book is important for its critique of the patriarchy and its exploration of the concept of woman as the "Other" in relation to man.