The Second Wave Of Freedom Movement

- “In World War II, the second wave of feminism focused on the workplace, sexuality, family and reproductive rights. During a time when the United States was already trying to restructure itself, it was perceived that women had met their equality goals with the exception of the failure of the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (which has still yet to be passed).”

The 19th Amendment was passed in 1920 by the United States Constitution that allowed women the right to vote. On November 2, 1920 more than 8 million women across the United States voted in elections for the first time. It took

For decades, women struggled to gain their suffrage, or right to vote. The women’s suffrage movement started in the decades before the Civil War, and eventually accomplished its goal in the year of 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution. After the U.S. Civil War, the women’s suffrage movement gained popularity and challenged traditional values and sexism in the country; the increase of progressive social values benefited the women suffragists by allowing them to succeed in passing the 19th Amendment which changed the role of women in society, guaranteed them a voice in politics, and encouraged future generations to struggle for women’s equal rights.

It was not until after the second wave of feminism that women activists began to speak about their gendered experiences in the civil rights movement. The second wave of feminism gave African-American women an opportunity to speak out about

Women’s suffrage, or the crusade to achieve the equal right for women to vote and run for political office, was a difficult fight that took activists in the United States almost 100 years to win. On August 26, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified, declaring all women be empowered with the same rights and responsibilities of citizenship as men, and on Election Day, 1920 millions of women exercised their right to vote for the very first time.

Wikipedia states, “…second-wave feminism broadened the debate to a wide range of issues: sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, de facto inequalities, and official legal inequalities. Second-wave feminism also drew attention to domestic violence and marital rape issues, establishment of rape crisis and battered women's shelters, and changes in custody and divorce law.” From there, Wikipedia goes on to discuss how most of those issues were addressed, though sexuality and family were not touched on much. In comparison, Spielvogal touches on nothing else besides Betty Friedan and the words of British Women’s Liberation Workshop, who said in 1969, “We are economically oppressed: in jobs we do full work for half pay, in the home we do unpaid work full time… We are brought up to feel inadequate, educated to narrower horizons than men. This is our specific oppression.” (p. 924). While this is true and informative, it misses vital steps in the

In August 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, granting white American women the right to vote. This ended the suffrage movement that women were allowed the same rights as men. "The long fight for suffrage” Is known as the beginning of American feminism. These women shared the ideal of improving the countries social political policies. "We hold these truths to be self evident; that all men and women are created equal" This statement was presented at Seneca hall in defense of women's right to citizenship and voting.

There have been numerous women throughout history whom have influenced and helped spread change for feminism. The first wave feminists (from the 1800’s to the early 20th century) started numerous organizations to help and support women’s rights and also helped in part of passing legislations that further aid the rights granted to women. Some of the most important first wave feminists include Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul. The second wave feminists (from the mid 20th century to late 20th century) helped further rights granted to women from the household to their lifestyle. Some important second wave feminists include Betty Friednas and Mary King and Casey Hayden. All four women made significant contributions to the feminist cause.

Women now were educated, voting, and even aiding their states during war times. In the U.S. many activists were fighting for similar issues addressed by the predecessors, however they were able to take things further, since there was a precedent. Instead of just gaining access to higher education, Second-Wavers were pushing for Women’s Studies classes and departments, and for prominent historical women to be included in academia. Women in the U.S. were also beginning the enduring battle of saving the environment. “Second-Wave feminists brought internal attention to the problems caused by violence against women and by poor environmental practices.”

After women won the right to vote, the second wave of feminism began in the 1960s and continued on to the 90’s. This wave was highly associated with the anti-war and civil rights movement and the movement started growing conscious to a variety of minority groups all over the world. Out of three waves, the second wave’s voice was increasingly radical and theoretical as sexuality and reproductive rights were dominant issues. Protest began in Atlantic City in 1968 and 1969 against the Miss America Pageant. Many activists thought it to be a degrading “cattle parade” that reduced women to only objects produced by the patriarchy. Along with fighting against sexism in cartoons and politics, second wave feminists found their voice among other movements such as Civil Rights and the Anti-War movement. While the first wave was fought by middle class white women, the second wave invited and incorporated women of color and developing nations demonstrating that race, class, and gender oppression were all related and seeking sisterhood and solidarity (Rampton).

There were many different liberation movements during the 1960s, including fights for racial equality as well as fights to gain equality for LGBT people. While all of these movements were very important during the time, as well as today, one of the most significant movements of this time is the women’s rights movement. The early 1960s mark the beginning of second wave feminism. While first wave feminism, which took place in the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, focused mainly on women’s opportunities with the largest amount of focus being put on a woman's right to vote, second wave feminism’s focus was placed on sexuality and reproductive rights.

It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and

The Women's Liberation Movement aimed to free women, and men, from the oppressive social structure of society, and liberate women from male supremacy.

The concept of second wave feminism has constructed progressing ideologies that attempted to help women overcome gender constructed norms they have faced throughout time. Even today, women are fighting a battle with society based on gender roles that have been construed by society, which limit and place them as being inferior to men. Nineteenth century feminists, Simone de Beauvoir and Betty Friedan, did not agree with these socially constructed ideas of women and their roles in society. Both of their work; The Second Sex and The Feminine Mystique, around female lives was fundamental and played an immense role to begin the second wave feminism movement around the world. The second wave of feminism brought forth numerous central issues that women were facing in their day-to-day lives. How has the concept of second wave feminism shed light on barriers and socially constructed gender identities of women? By analyzing the texts by De Beauvoir and Friedan, it is evident that issues such as equal employment opportunities, control over women’s bodies, and sexuality were central to the second wave feminism.

The second wave of feminism started in the 1960’s right around the ending of World War II. The second wave focused more on sexual and reproductive rights, as well as equal opportunity in education and the workplace. The end of World War II showed that men had full capability of their jobs when they came back from battle. These women felt like their time was wasted and they fought hard for nothing, they thought they were freed from their traditional roles as house wives. Not only was it hard to find work outside the home but when they finally found a job, they had to deal with being harassed and being devalued. This behavior was so common that it became a part of the U.S culture, and this issue was rarely discussed. Women, who wanted to be involved in the social movement for peace and justice, soon enough become what they called themselves as “women’s liberation”. “Women’s liberation” were groups of women from all over who came together to fight for the “changes in the political, social, and economic institutions of our society” (pg.558).