Susan Faludi, a prominent journalist and author, was shaped by her diverse background and early exposure to political ideas. Her career has been marked by a commitment to investigating social issues and unraveling the complexities of gender dynamics. Through her incisive writing, Faludi has become a significant voice in both feminist and broader cultural conversations.

Early Life and Influences

Born to Hungarian Jewish photographer Steven Faludi and writer and editor Marilyn Faludi, Susan grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York, alongside her younger brother, Rob. Their neighborhood's Irish and Italian influences contrasted with their parents' progressive political views, which left a lasting impact on Susan. Even as a child, she demonstrated a keen interest in political matters, conducting polls among her fifth-grade classmates on topics like the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion rights, and the Vietnam War.

Educational Background and Early Career

In high school, Susan honed her editorial skills as the student paper's editor and delivered a thought-provoking valedictorian address. Her pursuit of history and literature at Harvard University was supported by an Elks scholarship, and she graduated with highest honors, earning the esteemed Oliver Dabney History Award. During her time at Harvard, Faludi gained valuable experience with roles such as managing editor at the Harvard Crimson, intern reporter for the Staten Island Advance, and stringer for The Boston Globe.

Professional Journey in Journalism

Post-graduation, Susan Faludi embarked on a varied journalistic career across several American newspapers, supplementing her income with freelance work. Her roles included news and copy editor at The New York Times from 1981 to 1982, a suburban bureau reporter for the Miami Herald in 1983, and a general reporter at the Atlanta Journal and Constitution in 1984. Her reporting excellence was recognized in 1985 with first-place awards from the Georgia Associated Press for both news and feature reporting.

Faludi's career took her to the West Coast, where her investigative work garnered acclaim, including honors from Women in Communication, Columbia Journalism Review, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Associated Press of California and Nevada. She also received the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Journalism Award for her contributions to publications like Mother Jones, Ms., California Business, and West, the Sunday magazine for the San Jose Mercury News.

Award-Winning Investigative Work

In 1990, Susan joined The Wall Street Journal as a staff writer in the San Francisco bureau. Her investigative piece "The Reckoning" earned her a Pulitzer Prize in 1991, highlighting the human toll of the $5.65 billion leveraged buyout of Safeway Stores, Inc. The detailed exposé, based on over a hundred interviews, unveiled the severe consequences for employees who faced layoffs, reduced wages, and increased pressures, leading to serious health issues and even a tragic suicide. The piece received some criticism but broadly established Faludi as a meticulous and fearless journalist.

Impactful Publications

In 1991, Faludi published Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, following a four-year research journey spurred by a misleading 1986 Newsweek story. Her book scrutinized the flawed research behind the claim that women over 40 were more likely to be victims of terrorism than to marry. Appointed as an affiliated scholar at Stanford University's Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Faludi dissected the cultural and political narratives that fueled such misconceptions.

Backlash critiques the systemic resistance to women’s progress in the 1980s, dissecting societal messages across various platforms, from reproductive rights and media to workplace dynamics. The book debunked prevalent myths such as the "man shortage" and the "infertility epidemic," establishing itself as a bestselling and influential feminist work, praised by figures like Eleanor Smeal and awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for general nonfiction.

Exploring Masculinity

Faludi's subsequent book, Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man, delves into evolving masculinity and the challenging legacy of father-son relationships post-World War II. She approaches men not as adversaries but as victims of societal expectations, advocating for a universal ethic of compassion and social responsibility. Through her work, Faludi encourages a reframing of gender roles toward mutual understanding and collective growth.