10 most feminist moments in Mad Men’s 1960s sea of misogyny

“Farewell to Mad Men” still, image via AMC

Sally Draper becomes a woman by herself

Rather than one specific moment, Sally has many moments of grace under societal and familial pressure. Throughout the series, we see her mature from age 5 to 13, hitting a lot of bumps along the way. But somehow she maintains her individuality, and perhaps her character represents that first wave of feminists that would knock the sex conversation wide open in the late seventies.

Mad Men doesn’t spare us at all when it comes to watching the kids’ growing pains, but especially with Sally. She is a naturally free and rebellious spirit in a repressive environment, which unfortunately strains the relationship between her and her mother, Betty. When Sally starts to come of age, she experiments with cigarettes, kissing, and even her own body. In one particularly uncomfortable moment in season four, Sally is caught touching herself at a friend’s slumber party, which causes Betty to send her to a psychiatrist. Even though she couldn’t find support in her mother to understand what it means to be a woman, she was able to figure out the root of some of her anger towards her family on her own in treatment .

Surprisingly, Sally’s grandfather plays a large part in her growth. During season three, Grandpa Gene goes to live with Betty and the kids because of health issues, and during that time Sally and Gene become very close. He encourages her to be whomever she wants and to pursue any dream she desires. Unfortunately, his death sent her into a bit of a tailspin, but it planted an important seed for her. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see where Sally went as a young adult? I smell a spinoff series!