“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.”

— Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (1949), Bk. 2, Pt. 4, Ch. 1

About Simone de Beauvoir

1908 – 1986

French existentialist philosopher and author of "The Second Sex".

“There is an element of failure in all success.”

“I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom.”

“Self-knowledge is no guarantee of happiness, but it is on the side of happiness and can supply the courage to fight for it.”

“With rebellion, awareness is born.”

“Why was I born with such contemporaries?”

“The age of antiquity is the youth of the world.”

“Happiness was born a twin.”

“Youth, large, lusty, loving—Youth, full of grace, force, fascination!”

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.”