Betty Friedan's feminist ideas were profoundly shaped by the historical context of the post-World War II era in the United States. Following the war, women were expected to return to traditional roles as homemakers, a narrative that Friedan challenged. Her foundational work, The Feminine Mystique, emerged from this context, highlighting the discontent of women despite the societal ideal of domestic bliss. The civil rights movement and rising counterculture sentiments also influenced her thoughts on gender equality and sparked widespread discourse, paving the way for the second wave of feminism.