Why Was Gloria Steinem Important

Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes would pose together to be featured in Esquire in 1971. That same year, the equal rights amendment would be passed by the U.S. senate for ratification, but would never be sanctioned. The 1960’s through the 1970’s were the transition period for second wave feminism which brought black panther involvement and discussion of sexuality and gender. Symbolism helps to communicate the shift into second wave feminism and the controversy it brought on. The piece uses allusion to black activism and its role in women’s liberation. Artistic unity draws together elements of both subjects to impart harmony among the women. This photograph of Steinem and Pitman Hughes uses symbolism, allusion, and artistic unity to

“On May 1913, in an unseasonable hot Washington spring, a determined young women was building a woman suffrage organization, whose sole pressure congress to pass a federal amendment giving woman to vote” (azlibrary.com). “In 1920, while showing how Paul had became a suffragist and the battles that defined a generation of fractious feminist activism, the book leaves the rest of her long life” (azlibrary.com). Alice had ended that the 23 year old National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) never was effective because this wasn’t enough at the federal level. (Source 3 page 1 and

Undoubtedly, Alice was a monumental figure in U.S. history for her accomplishments as an instrumental campaign leader for the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was through her tenacity and fearless dedication that women were recognized as equals to men and

She was a hard worker, reformer, and most importantly, a freedom fighter. In fact, she could quite possibly be one of the most influential women in U.S. history. In a time when women had virtually no rights, she proved to be out of the ordinary. Her name was Jeannette Rankin. She stood up to the way that society treated women in the early 20th century and sought to give a voice to women everywhere.

Feminism has been a controversial topic since as early as the 19th century. Feminism has had a profound effect on women’s roles in society as well as their everyday life. There are countless feminists whose achievements are still recognized and remembered today. Jane Addams is a historical feminist who changed the lives for the women of her time, and is still talked about to this day. While feminism was huge in the earlier years of America, there are contemporary feminists who fight for the rights and equality of women that are still not met. In recent years, Gloria Steinem has spoken up for the equality of women and pushed for social reform. Jane Addams and Gloria Steinem are more than feminists, they are activists with many accomplishments that changed the lives for every woman of their time.

To this day the women’s suffrage movement ignites women in the present to keep those right burning. Alice Paul and her fellow women suffrages demonstrated through speeches, lobbying and petitioning Congressional Committees, with parades, picketing and demonstrations, and with arrest that lead to imprisonment. These women express courage that women still uphold for years after their legacy has passed on, such as the article “Women’s Strike for Equality,” by Linda Napikoski, in the demonstration that was held on August 26, 1970 on the 50th anniversary of women’s suffrage. As well as an article “Women to Protest For Equality Today,” by United Press that talks about on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the women’s suffrage and “declared war on firms that Damage the Image,” of the fair sex. Alice Paul, set the stage for inspiring women to fight for their rights everywhere across the world.

These women worked countless hours and had many conferences bringing other women aboard to make changes that we as American women benefit form today. “The first Women 's Rights Convention was held on July nineteenth and twentieth in 1848”. (Roak p.587)The convention was assembled as planned, and over the two days of discussion, the Declaration of Sentiments and twelve resolutions received agreement and endorsement, one by one, with a few amendments. The only resolution that did not pass unanimously was the call for women 's authorization. The thought that women should be allowed to vote in elections was impossible to some. At the convention, debate over the woman 's vote was the main concern. Even though there is still a long way to go we have come

Gloria Steinem was one of the most important leaders of the second wave of the women’s rights movement. As both an indirect and direct leader, she embodied her story by giving speeches and writing books and articles to help empower women across the United States and beyond. As she grew up in American society where sexism was present, she told an innovative story with visionary elements to prove to women that they were more than what society said they were. Her strong and feisty personality added to her success and I will argue that these factors along with her appearance helped her to be a major player and the face of the women’s rights movement.

A women's activist, she called for ladies to increase financial autonomy, and the work solidified her remaining as a social scholar. It was even utilized as a textbook at one time.

She is best known for her work with anti-slavery. After escaping for freedom in 1826, she worked and worked to make a change. (civilwar.com) When the Civil War hit America, she did all she could to help. She gathered things for black troops such as collecting food and clothing for them (history.com). She met Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, in 1864.

She gathered many women who felt like they needed more rights. Susan B Anthony was one of the bravest women known till this day. She stood for what she believed in that is why she is so important. She helped women’s rights progress(web designer 1-2)

Steinem starts working on a publication for journalism for women’s movement. Ms. first independent issue in 1972 was so successful it received funding from Warner Communications. As said, “one of the most influential publications of the era” (Newsmakers). In 1971, Steinem joins two other feminists, Bella Abzug and Betty Friedan, in forming the National Women’s Political Caucus. She was a founding member of the Women’s Action Alliance and Ms. Foundation for Women, which helps create Take Our Daughters To Work Day. She worked on civil rights for all people and against pornography and militarization. President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the National Committee on the Observance of International Women’s Year in 1977. She organized the National Women’s Conference in Houston. “The conference is the first to be backed by the US government, and its purpose was not lawmaking but proposing recommendations for widespread gender equality” (CNN). In 1983 Steinem book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellion is published. Said to have earned “strongly positive reviews” (Newsmakers).

    The feminism movement throughout the 1900’s showed much progression to equality in western society. It was this pivotal century that set the ball rolling for important women’s rights, including women’s suffrage in 1920, John F. Kennedy passing the Equal Pay Act in 1963, and even sparked revolutionary women such as Amelia Earhart, one of the first female pilots. But like all new changes there was room for improvement. This is where great speakers such as journalist Gloria Steinem stepped in. On May 6, 1970, Steinem spoke before Congress on the equal rights amendment as a supporter for female equality. She goes on to describe that still into the 1970’s that women were being socially discriminated

At the request of Dr. Martin Lutheran King Jr., she became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1975. Maya is presently on the board of American Film Institute, and is one of the few female members of the board of the Directors Guide. (Source card #5)      Besides being a writer she is also an

This new generation of activists fought with this new agenda for almost 20 years until a few states in the West began to extend the vote to women. The Eastern and Southern states still refused to give in, but this didn’t stop the National American Woman Suffrage Association. In 1916, Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the NAWSA, worked vigorously to get women’s organizations from all over the country together and fight side by side. “One group of activists, led by Alice Paul and her National Woman’s Party, lobbied for full quality for women under the law” (Divine). She used mass marches and hunger strikes as strategies, but she was eventually forced to resign because of her insistence on the use of militant direct-action tactics (Grolier). Finally, during World War 1, women were given more opportunities to work, and were able to show that they were just as deserving as men when it came to the right to vote. On August 18th, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, allowing women to vote. This drawn-out and arduous battle opened a new window of opportunity for women all over the country. Significant changes in both social life and job availability began to create what is now referred to as the “new women.”