Stephanie Probst Profile

Stephanie Probst, blogger on Feminist Mormon Housewives, wrote two posts about her book club's reading of Fascinating Womanhood that received over 900 comments from readers.

In Fascinating Womanhood the documentary, Probst discusses how contemporary women struggle to live by conflicting social ideals about women. Helen's book embodies one set of values that Probst feels is at odds with women's daily lives.

Helen's Thoughts on Submissiveness

Taken from Helen's website http://fascinatingwomanhood.net/.

"Women everywhere are fighting for their rights, not realizing that the way to win with men is to yield.  Once [a husband's] authority was recognized and honored he was more than willing to yield also. Most men are not nearly as difficult as they appear. They are usually struggling for position. When this is respected they relax and are more reasonable...

Submissiveness is a wonderful feminine quality, greatly valued by men, not just because it puts the ball in their hands, but because it is charming."

Spreading the Good Word

Gilly Kuehn was one of many certified instructors across America who taught the principles of Fascinating Womanhood in her community. These courses were often taught in neighborhood churches or a woman's home, lasting 10 weeks. Mrs. Kuehn taught FW courses for over 30 years and this experience led to her eventual position as couple's counselor at her church.

Irwin Zuckor Profile

Irwin Zuckor, book publicist in Beverly Hills, CA, represented Fascinating Womanhood among
hundreds of other self-publishing success stories, including Helen Gurley Brown (Sex and the
Single Girl, 1962) and Paul Bragg (Cure Yourself, 1929).

Mr. Zuckor pinpoints the market value of Helen's book, and the competition in ideas it offered the American reading public.

Helen's Thoughts on Masculinity

Taken from the 2007 edition of Fascinating Womanhood.

"The feminine nature awakens a man's chivalry for a woman, his impulse to protect her and provide for her. One of the most pleasant sensations a real man can experience is his consciousness of his power to give his manly power and protection. Rob him of this sensation of superior strength and ability and you rob him of his manliness. A man delights in protecting and sheltering a feminine, dependent woman. The bigger, manlier, and more sensible a man is, the more he seems to be attracted to this quality."

Stephanie Coontz Profile

Dr. Stephanie Coontz is a professor and author, most recently of A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960’s (2011), and frequent contributor to The New York Times. Her research focuses on American society's changing values and ideals about men, women, and family.

In Fascinating Womanhood the Documentary she supplies historical context that leads up to the Second Wave of Feminism to help contextualize Helen's book.

View her recent appearance on The Colbert Report here.

Helen's Thoughts on Ideal Women

Below an excerpt from an essay on her website http://fascinatingwomanhood.net/.


"The teachings of Fascinating Womanhood center around a study of The Ideal Woman, From Man's Point of View. I say "A man's point of view" because men and women view things differently. A man judges with a different set of values. This ideal woman is partly angelic and partly human. What I want to emphasize in this issue of the Internet is that a man never really loves a woman unless she is a good person, a person with angelic qualities worthy of respect and adoration. He may be attracted to her and even fascinated with her but his feelings will not include the deeper feelings of love. True love is a holy feeling, and a man simply cannot feel it unless aroused by a woman of character."