Women’s perceived faults are situational products, not essential natures

Evidence

But it is clear that none of these traits manifests a perverted essence or perverted original will; they reflect a situation. “There is duplicity wherever there is a coercive regime,” says Fourier. “Prohibition and contraband are inseparable in love as in business.” — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1758

Categorization

• DEFINE: The central methodological principle of the chapter: apparent feminine ‘character’ is not essence but the reflection of a coercive situation.
• XREF: Fourier’s prohibition/contraband aphorism generalizes to all coercive regimes — connects to the book’s theme of woman-as-Other across systems. — connects to: Adolescent girls’ attributed faults express their passive dependent situation, not biology — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 902; Women’s alleged faults arise from their enclosed condition, not innate nature — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1745; Woman’s traits stem from her situation, not biology — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1740 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Women’s alleged faults arise from their enclosed condition, not innate nature #corroborates (0.92) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1745
• Woman’s traits stem from her situation, not biology #corroborates (0.90) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1740
• Historical insignificance caused women’s inferiority, not the reverse. #corroborates (0.88) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 289
• Women denied beauty or happiness may choose victimhood as a persona #exemplifies (0.72) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1806