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Literature

Who is the author of the essay The Second Sex, a major work of feminist thought?

Correct answer Simone de Beauvoir

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Published in 1949 in two volumes, “The Second Sex” is a philosophical and historical essay by Simone de Beauvoir, and not a novel. The author examines the way in which women have been constituted as the “Other” in societies dominated by men. It mobilizes philosophy, history, biology, literature and lived experience to analyze the social construction of femininity. The phrase “We are not born a woman: we become one” has become one of the most famous in the book. The book has profoundly influenced contemporary feminist thought and movements.

Content last updated · August 14, 2026

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