Simone de Beauvoir
The French existentialist philosopher who argued that 'one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman' — gender is socially constructed rather than biologically determined.
Real World
Contemporary debates about gender identity — such as the legal recognition of non-binary identities in countries like Ireland — build directly on de Beauvoir's argument that gender is a social construct rather than a biological given.
Exam Focus
Quote 'one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman' in full and explain its meaning precisely — vague paraphrasing is penalised in high-mark analytical questions.
How well did you know this?