Betty Friedan, mother of the Second Wave, dies

Betty Friedan, a major figure in the Second Wave of American feminism, died yesterday, on her birthday, at age 85. When Friedan published The Feminine Mystique in 1963, she spoke for the thousands of American women who suffered from what Friedan called "the problem that has no name"--feelings of unfulfillment and dissatisfaction from a lifetime of suppressing their own needs and desires. Friedan examined what forced domesticity and dependence on men had done to the psyche of American women, and in doing so, struck the spark that turned into a new phase of the women's movement in this country.

What Friedan did not know was that this movement would also embrace issues of women's sexuality, including lesbian identity and gay rights, and she was appalled when the movement took such an inclusive turn. Later in her life, however, Friedan became more socially conscious and joined other feminists in including a wide variety of issues on the agenda of the movement.

Friedan founded the National Organization for Women and the organization that is now known as NARAL. She was the co-founder, with Bella Abzug and Glorida Steinem, of the National Women's Political Caucus.