Women's Liberation Movement Of The 1960s And 1970s

Everyone can agree that sexism had its talons deep in the flesh of the American mindset during the 1800's and although this is an obvious fact, few people understand just how hostile an environment it was for a woman. Among those few, were the women living in this malicious medium. From corsets to kitchens, housekeeping to health, life was not easy for even the most well-to-do woman. Although not all women decried their situation, a strong-minded minority dropped their oven mits, put their fists in the air, and called out for a change. Equal opportunity, equal right to vote, equal pay, and all around equality is what they demanded. But feminism was not only found at suffrage rallys or Grange meetings, it made its way in to every medium,

Underlying the feminism movement of the 1960s and 1970s was the “white racist ideology.” The women’s movement of the 1960s was in fact the white women’s movement. It was an opportunity for white feminists to raise their voices, but they only spoke about the plight of the white woman and excluded themselves from the collective group of women across all races and social standings. White women assumed that their experience was the experience of all women. When black women proclaimed that the movement was focused on the oppression of white women, the white feminists asserted “common oppression” and retorted with “oppression cannot be measured.” Ironically, feminists in the 1960s compared their oppression to the oppression of African Americans as

While Western Civilization: Volume 2: Since 1500 by Jackson J. Spielvogal and Wikipedia overlap at certain points, Spielvogal’s book provides a large overview of the feminist movement in the 1960s to 1980s. Compared to Spielvogal, Wikipedia goes more in-depth with the people involved, the issues they were fighting for, and the laws they were able to get passed. Even though they have their differences, both are informative and give the reader an acceptable idea as to the feminist movement of the 1960s to 1980s.

Carol Berkin is a professor of American History at Baruch College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is also the author of A Brilliant Storm: Inventing the American Constitution, First Generations, and Jonathan Sewall. Berkin is an expert on women’s history in colonial America and has worked as a consultant on many PBS and Historical Documentations. She currently serves on the Board of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Board of the National Council for History Education.

If I had a choice to invite any six famous people to a dinner party, I would choose to invite some of the key figures in the American Women’s Liberation movement. There have been many strong, knowledgeable women who have spoken out against the injustices that women have faced, but I have picked 6 women that I find to be remarkable.

Today, the feminist movement is a worldwide force, calling for rights and equality for women. It’s come a long way from its shaky beginnings, especially for American women. Many know to thank the strong pioneers of feminism for bringing women so far- leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage. However, not many are aware of where they began, and how their ideas about the way women must be treated in a proper society were shaped. Though they are not often acknowledged, the women of the Iroquois confederacy had a major impact on the birth of American feminism (Oneida Indian Nation 2009).

Once upon a time in a world dominated by men, women had been forced to comply with society 's blinding notion that they were pieces of property meant to play the domesticated role of a dutiful housewife. This was true up until the late 1840s when women began to realize their worth was so much more than a floor-moping, dinner-making, stain-bleaching slave to six children and an ungrateful husband. That may sound rash and some situations may have been different, but before the civil war these women did not have the opportunities to be properly educated like men. Courageously strong women, over time, from the early 1800s up until the 1920s and counting, such as Elizabeth Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem have all become recognized for their dedication and persistence in bringing about changes in defending the rights of women and suppressing the bias against gender equality thus paving the road of feminism. However, even in today’s world anti-feministic backlashes are still occurring in the sense of politics, workplace, and society.

America is known for being a land of freedom and opportunity for all who reside within. However, throughout history that is not the whole truth. Freedom came with time and effort for those who fought for it. Still fighting in the front lines are women, moreover their impedance, goals, and the want to gain equality. Treacherous roads filled with centuries of misogynic upbringing and glorified objectification, a difficult journey to achieve equal ground for all genders. The words of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Judy Brady emphasized women empowerment and equity; words that will echo on as prime examples for women rights.

This U.S. History in Context article describes the women’s movement of the 1960s and its

Kerber, Linda K., ed. Women’s America: Refocusing the Past. Eighth edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

Women’s liberation efforts in the 1950s made little impact on contemporary society, however the oppression experienced by women at the time was a motivating factor for the subsequent feminist movements.1950s American society was characterised by by economic and military success. In amongst this prosperity women were marginalised; pressured into roles as housewives and mothers.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s women feminists fought to be treated equally. The feminists did not want special treatment nor did the feminists want to be treated as inferior to men. Affirmative action adds to the women’s dream that early

Feminism in the United States is often separated into three waves (Vaccaro, 2009, Vernet & Butera, 2005). The first wave began during the late 1800s to early 20th century, women began fighting for gender equality, emancipation, and economic rights, which lasted through the woman suffrage movement (Breen & Karpinski, 2008; Vaccaro, 2009; Vernet & Butera, 2005). Dissatisfied with women 's status, women fought for social, economical, and political equality by ratifying the 19th Amendment. However, anti-feminists viewed gender equality as a minor issue and compared women to ‘uncivilized’ populations (Vernet & Butera, 2005). After ratifying the 19th Amendment, the second wave peeked during 1960s to 1970’s social movement. Women wanted control of their bodies, freely chosen maternity, end domestic violence, and equality in a male society (Vernet & Butera, 2005). The gap between the first and second wave was separated by a long hiatus period but inspired campus

The earliest recorded incidents of women trying to break down barriers to improve the lives of women occurred in 600 B.C. (Waller, 2005). However, the most significant event and start of the feminist movement as we know it today is the suffrage movement in the early 1900’s, where both women and men with higher education fought for the right for white women to vote. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, feminism picked up steam with anti-Vietnam war protests, hippie sit-ins and bra-burnings. This part of the movement created additional career opportunities and choices about having children, but again, it only did so for white women. Women of colour still had limited opportunity.

Even with the growth of research, women history was still seen as separate from main history. In the 1990’s a call for a history based on gender so that a focus of both could be understood. A gender-centered history can be controversial to some feminists, the concern is that women experiences may be lost. (Mary Menard, 1995)