Womens Social Movements 1960-1980's

Women's Social movements

Women made great strides in the 1960's towards equality. This was not an easy task as there was a stereotype for women they were expected to get married at an early age and to settle down, take care of the home and do all the chores while raising the children. The feminist movement was focused on making the workplace an equal place to work. Women in the Workforce would on average make about 60% the earnings of a male working the same position. This was a real tough time to get these rights that should already have been given. Laws made things very clear that the male had the power when it came to money and belongings. “legislation finally was passed to promote equal rights on July 25th. The Senate took no action, but its judiciary committee approved in September a proposed constitutional amendment to assure equal rights for women. “ [New York, N.Y] 29 Dec 1962: 1. Women typically wouldn't hold a job of importance, mostly would be a clerical job something like filing paperwork or answering the phone. With the introduction of a contraceptive onto the market in 1960 women were given a lot more freedom without the fear of getting pregnant they could pursue further educations and study for a number of years which really helped women into the working force. “Given lingering cultural taboos against unmarried sex, some young women feared that going on the pill meant they would no longer be “good girls.” According to contemporary psychologist Ernst Prelinger, young women did not want to appear “always sexually ready.” For those who did seek birth control prescriptions, access was often difficult.” (America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation (2010)) The leaders of the feminist movement wasn't a combined group of sorts but was split in several different ways with young and old, married and unmarried. Betty Friedan eventually emerged as the leader of the older feminist movement. The younger side was more rash and...