In this episode, we unpack Chapter 5 of Part Two: Situation, titled The Married Woman (pages 501–590). Simone de Beauvoir critically examines the institution of marriage and its role in shaping women’s lives. She explores how marriage has historically positioned women as dependents, with legal and societal structures reinforcing their economic and emotional subjugation to men.

Beauvoir argues that for many women, marriage becomes a form of confinement—limiting personal growth, autonomy, and authentic expression. We discuss how cultural expectations, unpaid domestic labor, and the myth of romantic fulfillment contribute to a woman’s alienation within the marital role.

Join us as we reflect on how Beauvoir’s critique of marriage continues to resonate today, and how her call for women’s liberation within and beyond marriage remains as urgent as ever.

In this episode, we examine Chapter 4 of the “Formative Years” section, titled The Lesbian (pages 470–500). Simone de Beauvoir breaks new ground by directly addressing female homosexuality—a subject rarely explored in philosophical literature of her time. She analyzes the ways in which lesbian identity is formed, often in opposition to societal expectations of femininity and heteronormativity.

Beauvoir challenges pathologizing views of lesbianism, instead framing it within the larger existentialist project of seeking authenticity and freedom. We’ll discuss how lesbian relationships can represent both a rejection of traditional gender roles and a redefinition of intimacy and identity beyond the male gaze.

Join us as we navigate Beauvoir’s nuanced and sometimes controversial reflections on sexuality, desire, and the pursuit of autonomy.

In this episode, we delve into Chapter 3, "Sexual Initiation," from the Formative Years section (pages 441–478). Simone de Beauvoir explores how a young woman’s first encounters with sexuality are often shaped by repression, shame, and the expectations imposed by a male-dominated society. Rather than being a path to self-discovery and empowerment, sexual initiation is frequently experienced as a loss, a transaction, or a submission to male desire. Beauvoir critiques the myths and moral codes that obscure female sexuality and shows how these early experiences can profoundly shape a woman’s sense of self. Join us as we examine the complexities of sexual awakening through Beauvoir’s existential and feminist lens.

In this episode, we explore the first part of Chapter 2, "The Girl," from the Formative Years section (pages 395–440). Here, Beauvoir traces how a young girl internalizes the societal expectations of femininity from early childhood through adolescence. She unpacks the psychological and social conditioning that shapes a girl's sense of identity, often reinforcing her role as the “Other.” Through toys, education, religion, and family dynamics, the girl learns submission, passivity, and the desire to be desired—often at the cost of her autonomy. Join us as we delve into Beauvoir’s profound insights on how a girl becomes shaped not by nature, but by the world around her.

In Episode 14 of The Second Sex series, we examine Chapter 1, “Childhood,” from the Formative Years section (pages 326–394), where Simone de Beauvoir explores how femininity is not born but made. Through a careful analysis of girlhood, Beauvoir reveals how societal expectations shape a girl's understanding of herself and her role in the world. Unlike boys, girls are steered toward passivity, domesticity, and emotional restraint. From early social conditioning to the confusion and shame surrounding sexuality, menstruation, and childbirth, this episode lays bare the mechanisms through which a girl learns to accept a limited destiny carved out for her by a patriarchal society.

In Episode 13 of The Second Sex series, we explore pages 315–325 of Chapter 3 in the "Myths" section, where Simone de Beauvoir deconstructs the enduring myth of woman as mystery. Drawing on philosophical and societal analysis, Beauvoir reveals how this myth—rooted in partial truths but frozen into rigid archetypes—casts woman as the eternal Other. We examine how this illusion serves patriarchal structures, mystifying women to justify their marginalization, and consider Beauvoir’s argument that dismantling this myth is essential for authentic human connection and gender equality.

In this twelfth episode of The Second Sex series, we delve into Chapter 2 of the “Myths” section (pages 256–314), where Simone de Beauvoir critiques the way influential male authors have defined and confined women through literature. We explore her examination of Montherlant’s disdainful portrayal of women, D.H. Lawrence’s paradox of sensual reverence and patriarchal dominance, and Claudel’s theological framing of woman as both divine and subordinate. This episode uncovers how literature has been a powerful tool in shaping enduring myths about womanhood—and how these myths continue to echo today.

In this episode, we turn to Chapter 1 of the Myths section (pages 192–255), where Beauvoir critically analyzes how women have been constructed in mythology, literature, religion, and philosophy. She examines how the figure of “woman” has been idealized, romanticized, demonized, and mystified—reduced to archetypes such as the mother, the muse, the virgin, or the temptress. These myths, often created by men, obscure the lived reality of women and serve to maintain their subjugation. Join us as we unpack how cultural narratives have shaped—and distorted—the image of woman throughout history and thought.

In this episode, we dive into Chapter 5 of the History section (pages 157–191), where Beauvoir explores the shifting status of women during the French Revolution and into the 19th century. While revolutionary ideals promised liberty and equality, women were ultimately excluded from political rights and public life. Beauvoir examines how the rise of the bourgeois class redefined womanhood—emphasizing domesticity, morality, and submission within the family structure. As men pursued freedom and work in the public sphere, women were confined to the private realm. Join us as we trace how these contradictions shaped modern womanhood and deepened gender inequality.

In this episode, we explore Chapter 4 of the History section (pages 133–156), where Simone de Beauvoir analyzes the status of women in the Middle Ages. She examines how feudal structures, religious morality, and patriarchal institutions continued to confine women to subordinate roles—primarily as wives, mothers, or cloistered nuns. While noblewomen had occasional influence and mysticism offered rare spiritual authority, most women remained excluded from power, education, and autonomy. Beauvoir also explores how romantic ideals coexisted with legal and social inequality. Join us as we uncover the contradictions and constraints that shaped women’s lives in medieval Europe.