Seeing Beyond the Second Sex: An Intersectional Approach to Simone de Beauvoir

Seeing Beyond the Second Sex: An Intersectional Approach to Simone de Beauvoir

French

Reis, Hannah

Wood, Christian (Mentor)

English, French

In 2020, 70 years after the publication of Simone de Beauvoir’s Le Deuxième Sexe, changes in the perception of identity politics have uncovered gaps in the original text while simultaneously creating new avenues for the application of de Beauvoir’s theoretical framework. To close this gap, an intersectional analysis of Le Deuxième Sexe can be undertaken, allowing for the text to be modernized, therefore regaining a more generalized sense of applicability for use as a theoretical framework for understanding various forms of social inequality. By marrying de Beauvoir’s own philosophical work with social theorists addressing issues of race, socio-economic class, and sexuality, it is possible to apply de Beauvoir’s original work to more contemporary issues, ensuring that her influential work can maintain its relevance into, and beyond, this new decade (this RICE presentation will be in French).