Final answer:
In 'The Second Sex,' Simone de Beauvoir theorized that man was the norm and woman was the inferior, critiquing societal gender constructs and the oppression of women.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Simone de Beauvoir's seminal work, The Second Sex, she theorized that within the social constructs of her time, man was considered the norm or the standard, while woman was the inferior or the 'Other.' This perspective served to highlight the way in which gender roles and expectations are socially and culturally constructed, and not natural or given. De Beauvoir's book argues that the perception of women being naturally fit for certain roles or behaviors is a product of societal conditioning and is used to justify the oppression and exclusion of women from various aspects of public and private life. De Beauvoir's ideas have informed feminist theory and activism, critiquing traditional concepts of femininity and masculinity. Her work has been both a source of inspiration and a foundation for discussion and debate within the realm of feminism, highlighting the importance of education and the debilitating effects of engrained gender roles. Her assertion that one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman, emphasizes the role that society plays in shaping gender identity.