Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl was a cultural phenomenon in its time. Although the book was published in 1962, before Helen took on the Editor-in-Chief role at Cosmopolitan, the book was an early example of what would become Helen’s signature Cosmo style, almost reading as an advice column covering all scopes of life relevant to single women – work, romance, financial independence, and more.  “The book sold two million copies in three weeks, has been a success in 35 countries, and made the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times and Time bestseller lists.

When Helen released Sex and the Single Girl, the social climate in the United States was undergoing significant shifts; attitudes towards gender roles, sexuality, and women’s liberation had become increasingly divisive. The 1960s marked the post-World War II era, shifting away from conservative values upheld in the 1950s and before. The war, in different ways, had disrupted conventional gender roles as women increasingly took on various responsibilities at home and in daily life which had previously been traditionally male. The 60s also saw the beginnings of the feminist movement, with women boldly challenging societal expectations and advocating for equal rights. 

By the 1960’s, Helen Gurley Brown was steadily making her way in the workplace, tapping into her own power and potential. She had figured out a way to navigate a male-dominated world,  creating a life that allowed her to be independent, self-sufficient, and happy. In a lot of ways, she seemed to have cracked the code of what it meant to “have it all”.

“Enter Helen Gurley Brown. In 1962, the just-married copywriter penned Sex and the Single Girl, a fictional book about a swinging singleton who was leading this new kind of life…Helen’s book was an instant best-seller, and unattached girls everywhere were so psyched that someone had finally spoken to them, they flooded her with thank-you notes — and begged her for personal advice.” – Cosmopolitan Magazine article (2007)

Although by today’s standards, Sex and the Single Girl may seem rudimentary, at its time of publication, Helen’s writing was a massive disruption of what was considered acceptable open discourse, especially by a woman. Women were supposed to be solely focused on finding a husband and “securing” a life for themselves; they weren’t supposed to dream big and push the boundaries on what was possible. There was still a prevailing stigma surrounding unmarried women, that they were incomplete or not lived up to their fullest potential. Helen believed that women can and should engage in premarital sex if they so desired, regardless of what society deemed proper etiquette.  

With an increasing number of women entering the workforce, there was a shift towards economic independence. Women sought careers and financial autonomy rather than relying solely on marriage for financial security. Helen and her brand reflected these evolving attitudes. And though her book was controversial, it was clear she had reached an untapped audience Her words resonated with so many women, many of whom did not feel seen in popular media or even in their immediate surroundings. She allowed for these discussions to be on the table at the highest levels, which allowed  women everywhere to have those conversations at home. Sex and the Single Girl explored not just questions of sex and love, but the whole experience of being an independent woman living on her own: “If you are to be a glamorous, sophisticated woman that exciting things happen to, you need an apartment and you need to live in it alone! After your thirtieth birthday, a Great Dane would do more for your image than two roommates, and dogs don’t borrow sweaters!” (pp 105) 

She took what once was viewed as a strange, sad, and even hopeless situation (a woman on her own, without a relationship or children), and reframed it to be bold and sexy. Not just that: she insisted that women see what a privilege and advantage it was to be single, independent, and career-oriented! She demystified this fear of being alone once one passed their “youth”.  Instead, Helen thought that economic and sexual independence ought to become something that women could, and should, aspire towards. 

 Throughout her upbringing in a small town in Arkansas, Helen was made aware that there weren’t many options available as a woman. But she knew that she wanted more for herself. In order to begin generating an income for herself and in support of her family, she moved to LA in her teens and worked to send money back home. Of that time, Helen said, “While continuing to work my way through those seventeen jobs and sending money home, I became a really ruthless penny pincher. Buffalo nickels were not only squeezed, they yowled in pain.” – Sex and the Single Girl (pp. 92) 

From beginning as an entry-level secretary, Helen became not only one of the vanishingly few female copywriters of that time, but one of the highest-paid copywriters of either gender – something that would be a huge accomplishment today, nevermind during Helen’s era. This astonishing success helped land her the Editor-in-Chief role, but the promotion didn’t come without criticism and doubt. In fact, even in the start of her time at Hearst, she wasn’t expected to succeed with her work in the magazine. Even at such a huge milestone and position, she was underestimated. She had to quickly learned to adopt professional modalities and, ways of living, that became paramount to her success. She didn’t have a guidebook or many women role models to look up to for this – instead, she paved her own way, remained true to herself and her brand, and set an example for women following her: even when you’re doubted, you can still prevail.

 The very nature of writing this book full of tips and tricks for single women to thrive and enjoy their lives to the fullest was an act of resistance. Not only had Helen achieved this lifestyle for herself, she was able to package it up and make it accessible for women everywhere. Before the era of social media and increased connectivity, this allowed for women to feel seen. To feel connected and empowered. 

Part of her legacy today, through the work of the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation, is dedication to developing pathways and opportunities for diversified representation to ensure that Helen’s struggle to find role models is not experienced by youth today. Helen’s fearless writing provides a map for young women today to push the needle ever forward, regardless of challenges and stature. Her work encapsulates what it means to be nonconformist and true to oneself in the spirit of its time. She forged her own path towards fulfillment and encouraged all other women to do the same.