Prompt Title: Betty Friedan

Betty Friedan (1921-2006) was an American writer, feminist, and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s. She is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking book, "The Feminine Mystique," which was published in 1963 and became a bestseller.

Friedan was born and raised in Illinois and graduated from Smith College in 1942. She went on to earn a master's degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1943. After graduation, she worked as a journalist, writing for publications like The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, and Ladies' Home Journal.

In the early 1960s, Friedan became increasingly involved in the women's movement. She was one of the co-founders of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966, and served as its first president from 1966 to 1970. She also helped organize the Women's Strike for Equality in 1970, which was one of the largest demonstrations in the history of the women's movement.

Throughout her life, Friedan was a vocal advocate for women's rights, and her work helped to bring attention to issues like workplace discrimination, reproductive rights, and domestic violence. She continued to write and speak about women's issues until her death in 2006.