3:11 Society in the 1970s - Content Flashcards
The 1970s saw the high point of…
second wave feminism
The feminist movement had been developing across the world as seen by…
the inauguration of International Women’s Day by the UN
Following the initial Women’s Liberation meeting in 1970…
Women’s Liberation groups sprang up all over the country aiming to give support to women
One example of protest by Women’s Liberation organisations is…
the 1970 Miss World Contest disrupted - they felt it objectified women. They heckled the host and threw smoke bombs onto the stage.
Women’s Liberation also organised demonstrations in…
London and Liverpool in 1971, demanding equal pay for women and free 24-hour nurseries
However, feminism was split between different ideologies:
- Radical feminists (or separatists) who believed that women were oppressed by the patriarchal society and campaigned particularly on issues such as reproductive rights. They wanted women to ‘unshackle’ themselves from the patriarchy and wanted women to become a revolutionary force.
- Liberal (or socialist) feminists sought the legal equality of men and women and campaigned on issues that would enable women to achieve financial independence. They wanted to end de jure discrimination against women and expand laws to protect women.
Although the contraceptive pill had been made available in the 1960s…
it became much more widely used after becoming available through the NHS in 1971
The availability of the pill on the NHS was most impactful for…
teenagers and working class women
Attempts were made to tackle violence against women, such as the first rape crisis centre opening in…
London in 1976
The 1976 Domestic Violence Act made it possible for…
women to take out court orders restraining violent partners
In 1977…
‘Reclaim the Night’ marches were held in cities across Britain in response to the murders of the Yorkshire Ripper - who murdered 13 women
What did the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 do?
> It ended discrimination against men or women on the basis of their gender or marital status.
> Concerned employment, training, education, harassment and provision of goods and services
The Sex Discrimination Act also set up…
the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)
> This would oversee both the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Pay Act
> It could bring court proceedings against any party it judged not to be compliant with these Acts
However, what is the evidence that the EOC was unsuccessful in achieving its aims?
> The EOC only launched nine investigations between 1976 and 1983
Only 10% of sex discrimination claims in the workplace were successful as it was too difficult to prove
However, women’s economic position…
did indeed start to improve during the 1970s
From 1971, women were able to…
take out a mortgage without a male guarantor
The Equal Pay Act which had been passed in 1970…
came into force in 1975
> It prohibited less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment
> However, for an employee to claim under this Act they had to be able to prove that they had done the same amount of work, or work of equal value or rated the same as another employee.
> It was often difficult to prove discrimination.
Why did the Equal Pay Act not come into force until 1975?
> It gave companies five years to prepare to pay women equally
Which reforms did Barbara Castle make in 1975?
> The Social Security Pensions Act
The Employment Protection Act
What was the impact of the Social Security Pensions Act on women?
The pension scheme became more generous to women whose contributions had been limited by caring responsibilities
What was the impact of the Employment Protection Act on women?
It introduced paid maternity leave and outlawed dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy.
However…
women continued to experience inequalities throughout the 1970s
Trade unions tended to be…
dominated by men
There remained suspicions within trade unions that…
women in the workplace would suppress wages for men