Women’s liberation movement

Question 1

Why did the women’s movement develop

Answer 1

Jobs and pay)
-Women earned 50-60% less than men when doing the same job

Women’s lives in the 1960s)

• expected to give up their jobs in favour of men
• young did not want the lives their mothers had
• contraceptive pill

The role of women activists)

• Betty Friedan’s Feminist Mystique rejected the idea of house wife = happiness
• 1966 the National Organisation for Women (freidan)
• campaigned for fair pay and equal opportunities
• ‘me too’ movement encouraged others to speak up

Question 2

The impact of Betty Frieden

Answer 2

The Feminist Mystique)

• told women to reject a mere housewife role
• told women to have a career as well
• women ought to have the right to a career
• made many question their role in society
• raised awareness + me too

NOW [National Organisation for Women])

• NOW increased awareness of gender inequality
• NOW inspired many to challenge the norms
• proposed a Bill of Rights for women
• Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) (WAS NOT RATIFIED)

Question 3

The impact of Eleanor Roosevelt

Answer 3

Before the 1960s)

• During WWII supported jobs for women+blacks
• international spokesperson for women and equal rights.
• press conferences for women only as First Lady

During the 1960s)
-Persuaded JFK = equal rights commission for women
-Report on inequality in work and pay 
=Equal Pay Act in June 1963
=illegal to pay unequally for same job

Question 4

The impact of the Anti-Feminist Movement

Answer 4

Stopped ERA being ratified)

• The STOP-ERA campaign was led by Phyllis Schlafly
• Stop Taking Our Privileges
• She said equality would harm women + eligible for army -also women would lose support from husband
• ruin American foundation of a family
• delayed ratification until 1982

Reinforced traditional gender stereotypes)

• some felt that biological differences designed women to be housewives
• Marabel Morgan book called The Total Woman
• than ten million copies
• about serving and worshipping husbands

Question 5

The impact of the women’s liberation movement

the more radical movement

Answer 5

Bought more social issues to the fore)

• more radical than NOW
• sit-ins at local media outlet
• outlawing of gender discrimination in education + sport
• banned employment discrimination against pregnant
• legalisation of abortion and birth control

Caused controversy/may have harmed the movement)

• attracted much criticism
• Some argued that they were anti-men
• Media portrayed them as men haters
• 1968 Miss America pageant
• –>activists protested objectification
• derogatory signs “Up Against the Wall, Miss America.”

Question 6

What was the impact of the women’s movement?

Answer 6

Equal Rights Commission 1963)
-federal stand against sex discrimination
-Eleanor Roosevelt=right to paid employment women
but…
(Presidential Commission 1963 recommended women stay at home.)

National politics)
-1968 NOW member Shirley Chisholm
—>first black woman elected to the House of Reps.
but…
(small number of women in national politics)

Equal Pay Act 1963)
-equal pay for equal work
-171,000 people get $84m in back pay 
but...
(not all the payback was given and there was still inequality)

Contraception and abortion)
-Contraception more available
-plan careers around the family
-1972 in Roe v Wade abortion won
=feminist lawyer defended right of client to have abortion
--->legal abortion doubled 1972-1980