A Woman's Path to Liberation

October 15, 1958

Today is my birthday! 21! James says that I should show off my cake baking which I've been working so hard at. You should have seen my first one. I saw an old copy of the Saturday Evening Post that showed a woman upset with her first cake. I looked just like that. I had been down for hours when James decided he had tolerated enough. He said something about me having a lifetime to learn how to bake the perfect cake. He told me I was "being a germ with my moping" and to "clean up all the goop in the kitchen". It really rattled my cage. He has never talked to me like that before. Later he apologized, explaining that he just wanted me to be happy and layered the apple butter on thick. Trying to make me feel special, he out a bottle of champagne and we had a toast for my 21st birthday, just us. It makes me feel good that he was sorry. Doesn't he know that I just want to please him?

We had a bash at our new place to celebrate my birthday. All the girls from my old college came and were so jealous! They asked how we could afford such an expensive place and I clued them in on how successful James is in his job. Now Susie wants to get married more than ever! Being the first one circled out of your friends is quite an accomplishment.

The girls all got me Max Factor Makeup. I am really cranked because now that we have a mortgage, James says I spend too much on beauty products. He told me that my need for "self-gratification is putting a burden on our family." Then he went out and bought a new Porter-Cable Circular Saw for himself. Why is it that when he wants something, what I want doesn't matter? Well, I told him that I just had to have the new Goya lipstick! It has a new formula with titanium for extra shine! I need to take time out for beauty just like the Avon ad shows. Looking good is what a housewife does! Beauty is my business! I'm doing it for him anyways, can't he see that?