Existential and philosophical background of the theory of Western feminism (by philosophical ideas of J.-P. Sartre and S. de Beauvoir)

Existentialism is one of the philosophical directions of the 20th century which insists on the priority of human existence over essence. One of the best-known representatives of this direction, French writer, philosopher and public figure, Jean-Paul Sartre is considered. From the point of view of Sartre human existence is a fundamental concept of any philosophizing. Existence cannot be studied as an object. The only opportunity to learn existence is to endure it. Experience by the person of one's own existence opens some main lines of existence - existentials by means of which existence can be described. By Sartre the core existentials are freedom and responsibility, they set the fundamental situation of the person, in which one can freely project oneself and realize this project. This article is devoted to disclosure of the impact which the existence philosophy had on formation and development of Western feminism and, first of all, on the concept of a well-known theorist of feminism, Simone de Beauvoir. In her work on feminism philosophy - "The Second Sex" - she claims that ''one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman". The biological ability of the female organism to reproduce humankind is not essential, that is, it is not natural or native essence of the woman. On the one hand, female corporality is the indisputable base of specific dependency of the woman in the society existing in primitive communities and still preserved. But, on the other hand, the prospect of existential philosophy allows to transform the original value of female corporality. Ability to reproduce has to be understood not as a natural basis of socialization, but in existential sense as the situation which connects and limits each woman but she can and has to be overcome by the strong-willed decision of female existence, free to project itself at its own discretion. It does not mean that each woman, as de Beauvoir herself, must resolutely refuse motherhood. It only means that motherhood has value as a free choice of existence. Women must use work and responsible attitude to one's destiny to overcome the parasitic way of existence imposed by generations and to realize themselves as free creative existence. Work of Simone de Beauvoir had a decisive impact on emergence and development of "the second wave" of feminism which is more reflexive, more attentive to the theoretical part of "the woman's issue". Such existentials as immersion in the situation, freedom, responsibility, existence as the project of oneself became an original basis of the new understanding of the woman.

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