Essay On Femininity In The 1950s

During, the 1960s and 70s American Feminist Movement, women had begun to protest for the same human rights as men. The main areas of protest in The United States of America were Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City. There were many ways to protest, including writing, art, and organizations. There were many writers who wrote about feminism during this time, some include Betty Friedan, Robin Morgan, and Kate Millett. Art also encouraged feminism, specifically the paintings by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro. There were many feminist groups that protested for equal rights, some of which were The National Black Feminist Organization, The National Organization For Women, Bread and Roses, and The Chicago Women's Liberation Union. In the 1960s and 70s,

How often do you hear your friends, family, or acquaintances say they would like to go back to simpler times such as the 1950s - the era where you could wear fancy poodle skirts, drive big cars, eat at your favorite diner, or catch a movie at the drive in. Americans tend to think of the positive aspects of the 1950’s. Unfortunately during that era women were treated unfairly. Even though women had rights, they were still unequal to men. Fortunately feminism has progressed since then. Today, women comprise over 50% of the workforce. Nonetheless, men still cling to stereotypes that should have been destroyed long ago, whether in the workplace, at home, or in society.

Women during the 1950s had a completely different role in society compared to what women are seen as today. Now a days, especially in the United States, women are seen as almost equals to men. They are capable of obtaining most jobs that earlier on in history were usually given to men. This goes to show how much history has changed. Women during the 1950s, specifically in the Middle East, had no rights at the time and were strictly allowed to do what their husbands, or other men told them to.

The gender roles in America have changed tremendously since the end of the American Civil War. Women and men, who once lived in separate spheres are now both contributing to American society. Women have gone from the housewife so playing key roles in the country's development in all areas. Though our society widely accepts women and the idea that our society is gender neutral, the issues that women once faced in the late 1860s are still here.

In the 1960’s, women had been placed in stereotypical roles for years. But women were tired of these roles and were done with being complacent. They felt like something was missing in their lives, and they desired something more. The typical American

the house becoming the homemaker once the war was over. The 1950s has also been

Women’s history in the United States has always been represented as a struggle for rights. Wealth and status were tied to either their fathers or husbands. In the early 1900s, women were afforded the traditional roles of society. The majority of women worked in the home. If they were of the 18% young or poor women, they also worked in factories as laborers, manufacturing items for the booming industrial revolution (U.S. Department of Labor, 1980). During this time period the workplace was not in compliance with current safety standards. There was no minimum wage yet, work conditions were horrible and they worked long hours, “In 1900, the average workweek in manufacturing was 53 hours,” (Fisk, 2003). Women took “pink

Life in the 1950s was a time where when a women was married and has kids she would stay home taking care of the meals, and children. Men would be the ones to go out and find a good job that helps with money problems. Also sometimes married women would hire a nanny to also help around the house. In the 1950s men respected women more than they do today because women were supposed to be beautiful and elegant. Also men were able to be a gentleman around women.

In the 1950’s, the inequality of gender conflicted women in the United States. A woman’s goal in life was to get married, have children, and to primarily take care of the house. An article by Christina Catalano called Shaping the American Woman: Feminism and Advertising in the 1950’s states that women were known for being, “...Stupid, submissive, purely domestic creatures.”(Catalano 45). Men on the other hand are viewed as the more superior gender. The life of a man consist of getting married and working. Although this may seem very little, men are free to do whatever they desire and are more free spirited during the 50’s whereas women are more cautious in what they do. A woman’s main goal is to attract a husband because if they

This is how the women lived back in the 1950’s, but now things have changed. The book portrayed that if you didn’t follow the standards, you weren’t a perfect wife. The wives back then basically had the house role, meanwhile the father just brought the money home and rested. Women long ago didn’t have as many rights as they do now, that is why there is such a difference between the wife standards now.

In the two films, The Last Picture Show and The Graduate, women are shown in a more aggressive nature. Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate and J.C. in The Last Picture Show, although representing very different age groups, display the sensual side of a woman’s nature and how women can crave sex just as much as men do. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, this was still a controversial topic and these films really highlighted it. Society has a way of placing certain expectations on each of the genders, and these films show how stereotypes are not always correct. This essay will show how Mrs. Robinson and J.C. went against their stereotypical gender roles.

There is a drastic contrast between the lives of women from the 50s, 60s and perhaps the 70s to the lives of women today. In the 1950/60s the wife would be responsible for cleaning the home, hanging the wash on the line to sun-dry, sew clothes, bake and be the caretaker of the children. This was her role in society and her household. Today, the wife may work part or full time, juggle children to childcare, school and sports activities, all the while trying to maintain a household. For the most part, gone are the days when the wife was considered an item within the household and women have now earned their marks in society. Some would question if women have actually made things harder for themselves and have taken away some of the joys of a simpler life. The poems of Rita Dove and Linda Pastan shed a light on the less talked about side of being a housewife throughout the second half of the 1900s. Things were not as pleasant and simple as one may believe.

During the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, women were making extreme social progress. They were starting to wear more revealing clothing, cutting their hair shorter, and generally becoming more respected in society. When the 1950’s came, however, women seemed to backtrack. The ‘50s housewife is a common stereotype associated with these times because of the rapid increase of ‘stay at home’ mothers. It was now the women’s job to stay at home and clean, cook, and watch the children when the husband was at work. When the husband came home, it was the wife 's responsibility to make sure he was happy after a long day of work. Why was this the new trend in the ‘50s? Many argue that society placed this responsibility on women and projected this belief

Before the civil war, in the year 1930s, life was every different for the African American. The roles of men were entirely distinct from those assigned to women, and each group was responsible and accountable for the task assigned to them which was done communally and was passed from generation to generation.

Today’s definition of a woman is significantly different to ones opinion in the 1950’s.In the 50’s if you were able to cook, clean, and care for your children you were an official woman. No questions asked. Contributing to your husband’s well-being. Chatting the afternoon away with other respected women. Those were normal duties of a woman. The attributes of women were not common . As working was not a womanly thing to do. The tables have turned since then.