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Essay On Women In The 1950's And 1960s

3737 Words15 Pages

Today in society women are viewed as strong, independent people who have many opportunities and choices regarding how they want to live. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. In most of the early 1900’s, being a wife and a mother was the only option for women, and those who did not like that path were considered “unfeminine.” During the 1950’s and 1960’s, this began to change. Women 's liberation groups formed such as the New York Radical Women, and many powerful leaders emerged, such as Gloria Steinem, Robin Morgan, and Betty Friedan. These powerful leaders influenced women to become increasingly independent through the decades. Many people, groups, and ideas not only altered the image of women and what defined feminism, but what women could do in society, and what women could dream of doing. The appearance, actions, and ambition of women through the 1950’s and 1960’s was influenced by many people and ideas.

Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s women’s appearance changed. From onscreen to the city streets, there was often a difference between outside image and inner reality. Many women tried to shatter the strict restrictions around what was deemed appropriate to …show more content…

The majority of women blamed themselves for feeling unhappy, they thought “something had to be wrong with them if they weren’t as happy as the women they saw in magazines or on televisions” (Gidgets 2008). Frieden blamed the US educational system for encouraging women to study “feminine” subjects like family life and household management instead of science, mathematics, and business management. Friedan also blamed the media and quoted a magazine editor who told her “Our readers are housewives, full time...They are not interested in national or international affairs. They are only interested in the family and the home” (Gidgets

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