Today's women have almost dethroned the myth of femininity; they are beginning to make their independence felt in very specific ways; however, they do not easily manage to fully experience their condition as human beings. Raised by women, within the confines of a female world, their natural destination is marriage, which in reality still enslaves them to men; male prestige is far from being eradicated: it is still supported by strong economic and social foundations. It is therefore necessary to study very carefully the traditional fate of women. I will try to describe how a woman learns her condition, how she experiences it, what kind of universe she is trapped in, and what means of escape she has. Only if all these are understood will we be able to comprehend the problems faced by women who, having inherited a heavy past, are trying to build a new future.

Simone de Beauvoir

"The Second Sex" was published in 1949 and became the definitive reference work of the feminist movement. Sixty years later, while the feminist utopia is unraveling as sexist views and practices re-emerge in many parts of the world, "The Second Sex" deserves to be read again as a milestone in the history of the women's movement.