Defined only in relation to man; she is the "Inessential" [7, 8].
The book's most famous line, "On ne naît pas femme : on le devient" ("One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman"), encapsulates Beauvoir’s central argument [3, 5]. She distinguishes between biological sex and the social construct of "womanhood" [5, 6]. According to Beauvoir, femininity is not an innate destiny but a role imposed by society to maintain a specific power structure [6]. The Concept of the "Other" Le deuxiГЁme sexe
She traces the evolution of patriarchy from nomadic societies to the industrial age, noting how women’s lack of property rights cemented their dependence [3, 8]. Defined only in relation to man; she is