How Far Had the Role and Status of Women Improved in 1960s +70s? Flashcards
Political Advancement
Female MPs
1955: 24
1974: 23
1979: 19
Overall percentage never above 5%
Political Advancement
Candidacy
Thatcher faced decade of discrimination before being selected as candidate for Finchley in 1959
1979, 216 female MPs ran, only 19 elected
Political Advancement
Promotion
Women in parliament had a higher chance of promotion
Wilson’s gov (1964-70), seven of eighteen ministers female
Political Advancement
Prominent Women
Barbara Castle and Margaret Thatcher had significant prominence
Castle had success pursuing women’s rights (Equal Pay Act, 1970, pension reform, child benefits)
Thatcher became leader of Cons in 1975
Political Advancement
Women’s Rights
Little progress
Women’s issues reduced importance, women wanted to be seen as well rounded individuals
Political Advancement
Trade Unions
Membership rose rapidly: 2.6-3.8 million by 1979 (30% of working female population)
Unions dominated by male bosses, hostile to female membership, not until 2012 first TUC leader female
Economic Advancement
Changing Work Environment
More part time and semi skilled jobs
More opportunities, especially for working mothers
Klein (1965) - 60% working women in unskilled employment
Economic Advancement
Marriage Bar
Removal of marriage bar such as in Civil Service (1946) + Banking (1949)
Late 1970s - Approx 50% married women retained jobs
Economic Advancement
Pay Inequalities
1960s, women paid 40% of man’s wages
1948 - Equal Pay in Civil Service, education, and NHS
No legislation for private companies
Economic Advancement
Dagenham Ford Strike
1968
Three week strike by female employees
Led to equal pay within Ford (only paid 95% in settlement)
Led to Equal Pay Act
Economic Advancement
Equal Pay Act
1970
Prohibited less favourable pay or conditions for women doing the same work
Economic Advancement
NJACWR
National Joint Action Committee for Women’s Rights
Pressure on trade unions for equal pay - led to legislation
Economic Advancement
Employment Protection Act
1975
Women couldn’t be sacked for pregnancy
6 weeks paid maternity leave (after 2 years employment)
Economic Advancement
Sex Discrimination Act
1975
Illegal to discriminate against women in employment, training, housing, and education
Tribunald to tackle sexual harrasment
Economic Advancement
Equal Opportunities Commission
1975
Government commission to ensure legislation enforced
Economic Advancement
Remaining Issues
Glass ceiling for promotion
Women on average paid 65% man’s wage in 1979
Social Status and Personal Freedoms
Contraception
1961 - oral contraceptive pill
But only prescribed to married women
Within a decade, 1 mil using
Social Status and Personal Freedoms
Childbearing
By late 1970s, women having fewer children + later
1971, 47% had first children by 25, fell to 25% by end of century
Social Status and Personal Freedoms
Abortion
Abortion Act (1967) - Lib MP David Steel
Abortion legal up to 28 weeks
1975, Amendment, limit 20 weeks, National Abortion Campaign established
Defeated amendment in 1979
Social Status and Personal Freedoms
Abortion Statistics
112,500 1978 in Eng + Wales
95,688 for medical grounds
80,000 women marched in Hyde Park to protest amendment (withdrawn in 1980)
The Women’s Liberation Movement
Origins
1969 - second wave feminism
Women’s rights associated with social inequality
Sheila Rowbotham organised first National Women’s Conference in Ruskin College in Feb 1970
The Women’s Liberation Movement
Women’s Groups
Within 12 months, women’s groups in London risen from 4 to over 50
Women’s Liberation Workshop - held consciousness raising workshops
The Women’s Liberation Movement
Literature
Spare Rib magazine - Rosie Boycott and Sheila Rowbotham, linked to socialist politics
Novelists e.g Angela Carter, Irish Murdoch
Refuges for Victims of Violence
Rape Crisis
1973 - First Rape Crisis centre
Partly result of consciousness raising workshops
Within a decade, over 60
