Many women reacted to the feminine mystique by feeling:

empowered to seek social and economic equality.

hopeless about the obstacles that stood in their way.

more content in their traditional cultural roles.

powerless to do anything to better their situation.

The correct answer is: "empowered to seek social and economic equality".

The Feminine Mistique was a bestseller published by Betty Friedan in 1964. The second wave of feminism in the US, is widely attributed to this publication.

Friedan conducted a survey among her former school classmates in one of their reunions and found out that most were extremely disatisfied with their lives as housewives. Her book challenged the widespread view at the moment which stated that the fullfilment of a US woman was reached by becoming the perfect housewife-mother. Many women identified themselves with this critique on predominant social roles in the US society and felt empowered to change their situation.