Gloria Steinem can ultimately be said to be a leader of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Her involvement in the movement shaped the way feminism is viewed in the USA today, especially considering her role in causes such as abortion, and women in journalism, specifically Ms. Magazine. While she was not solely responsible for any part of the Women’s movement, as she was part of different groups of women who “led” the movement, her influence is undeniable, and most certainly pivotal to how modern feminism is viewed today.
Second wave feminism came as a response to the reinstatement of the domestic role of women as women’s sole role in a post-World War Two society. A male centred society and the patriarchy were once again being accepted as the norm and perpetuated. Women’s opportunities were severely limited, and her narrative was prescribed to her.
Gloria Steinem was born the granddaughter of a committee member of the National Woman Suffrage Association, so activism and women’s rights had been tackled in her family far before she was born. Steinem’s parents split up early on in her life, resulting in her mother’s financial instability. Steinem later accredited her mother’s inability to keep a job to the hostile attitudes towards women in the workspace. In addition to this, her mother’s experiences with mental illness also exposed Steinem to social injustices that were pivotal in sparking her involvement in the feminist movements. It was these aspects of her life
A Brief History 2nd wave feminism motivated
What was the historical significance of Betty Friedan to the evolution of women’s rights in America in the 1960s? Women have always fought hard for their equality. Since the very first convention held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848, countless women have joined together to try and improve the standard of life for all women within the United States. In the later years of the 19th century, women gathered behind activists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, with the hope of achieving voting rights of women under the Constitution. On August 26th, 1920, their goal was achieved with the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
Throughout history, women have always played a helping role to a man. Women were not portrayed as. It was hard for women to get certain jobs, because they favored men. The Women’s Liberation Movement, pushed forward in advocating for women in jobs outside of what they are used to. Shirley Chisholm questioned the shortcoming of women in higher performing jobs, stating, “Why is it acceptable for women to be secretaries, librarians, and teachers, but totally unacceptable for them to be managers, administrators, doctors, lawyers, and Members of Congress?”
The women’s rights movement focused on gender equality. Liberal and conservative women disagreed on many issues that the second wave of feminism, the basis of the women’s rights movement, brought to light. Two documents reveal the differences in the opinions of the opposing sides during the women’s rights movement. In an “Interview with Phyllis Schlafly” by the Washington Star, published on January 18, 1976, Ms. Schlafly opposed both the ERA and the Women’s Rights movement. Comparatively, the “Statement of Purpose” by the National Organization for Women, published on October 29, 1966, stated that NOW stood for Women’s Rights and equality.
Women Fighting for Justice “When you deprive people of their right to live in dignity, to hope for a better future, to have control over their lives, when you deprive them of that choice, then you expect them to fight for these rights.” – Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. The missions of all of these activists is summed up in this. All of them are strong women who fought for what they believed in: Mother Jones fought for children’s working rights; Harriet Tubman fought for African Americans and racial equality; and Kimberly Bryant is fighting to help get more African American girls into the IT industry.
Known as the “Second Wave Feminism Movement”, many individuals targeted the areas of equality and discrimination. These included rights within reproductive health, the wage gap, and harassment within the workplace. Unlike the Women’s Suffrage Movement of the 1920s, women in the 60s and 70s felt the need for a more liberating movement. They had many of the same ideals as the CIvil Rights Movement, using sit-ins, marches and picketing protests. This movement also ultimately led to the expansion of many rights for women.
After publishing “The Feminine Mystique”, many found that it “gave dissatisfied American women a voice, and its publication came at an auspicious time. The civil rights movement had been gaining momentum since the early 1950s, and Americans were increasingly pondering the meaning of fundamental principles like equality and justice,” (Pierce). Therefore, coming from another woman, women must have found it easier to express their opinion on the subject too. Additionally, with the uprising of equality movements, Friedan’s voice became a large catapult for women to use their own voices. In 1966, Friedan and two friends came together to form the National Organization for Women that “demanded the implementation of equal pay laws and advocated other issues of interest to women.
Same Objectives, Different Strategies: The Transformation of the Feminist Legal Strategy The fight for women’s rights had never been easy for feminists and at the outset of the 1960s, women’s legal equality seemed momentarily out of reach. The chaotic social and political landscape of 1960’s America was as much a blessing to feminists, as it was a burden. The civil rights movement had picked up momentum from landmark judicial decisions and simultaneously fostered a discussion about the opportunity for women’s legal equality.
Women in the Progressive Era began with little to no rights at all. They didn't have any other role in society especially for poor white women except to stay at home and do what their husbands tell them to do. Over time women began to give themselves an identity, and rights through feminism, icons, and taking action. They began to make a change and make a bang culturally. Jane Adams on of the first most prominent female activists created this idea of "the new woman," during the Progressive Era.
In this paper I will be going over issue 17, “Has the Women’s Movement of the 1970’s Failed to Liberate American Women?”. Sara M. Evans and F. Carolyn Graglia each voice their opinions about the issue. They talk about the history of the women’s movement throughout time and the effects it had in our country. F. Carolyn Graglia writes about how she agrees the movement has failed to liberate American women. Her views on feminism concluded that the feminist movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s was a reasonable but a faulty idea, in that it was based on a worthy opinion (that all men and women should be equal).
According to Steinem, boys and girls need to be equally represented in media so they both understand the importance of not only helping others and benefiting society but also receiving help from those more skillful. This message embodies the goal of true feminism, to empower women and feminize men to advance
As mentioned before, many feel as though women still face discrimination in the workforce. However, it is no question that attitudes towards the feminist movement have become less critical overtime. In fact, 51% of men and 69% of women currently identify as feminists, according to the 2015 poll by YouGov. Many celebrities have pushed for women’s rights, which has contributed to its recent acceptance. Overall, there were several components to the rise of the women’s rights movement in the period 1940-1975.
The United States of America is a relatively new country that evolved exceptionally fast. Yet the common ideas of gender haven't evolved much. Namely, many historical events were accomplished by women or involved women; however, they aren't taught in high school. Most, if not all, educated individuals know these great male historical figures that influenced the US: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, and etc. Most of 'American history' is white men history, or better summarized as (his)story.
Gloria Steinem: Female Activist Gloria Steinem rose to national fame as a feminist leader in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s for her work as a journalist, activist and political organizer. Her tireless efforts to lobby for social and economic equality allowed Gloria to emerge as an enduring symbol of female liberation. She advocates for intersectional feminism which examines the intersections where forms of oppression overlap and looks at the institutions and conditions hindering women from advancing as a whole. Gloria adapts her approach to issues as the social and political landscape transforms and she continues to promote an intersectional feminist agenda in a paradoxical world where many changes have occurred, but many issues remain.
Therefore, the inclusion of ‘oppressed’ groups, such as women of colour, with different sexualities beyond heterosexuality, of different economic backgrounds and further aspects took place, to a large extent, throughout the second wave of feminism (Krolokke & Sorensen, 2005, p. 1). Women all over the globe fought for their rights in as well as outside the labour market (ibid., p. 8). Several outcomes emerged through the waves of feminism and feminist movements. Not only could they, as social agents, lead to a new form of