US History Mrs. Housenick 4/19/12 The Women’s Movement US History Mrs. Housenick 4/19/12

Concerns on Domestic Life Feminists wanted freedom for women to be more than wives, mothers, homemakers Betty Friedan wrote key book on this The Feminine Mystique Greater equality within the home, shared responsibility for domestic work Need for adequate childcare, possibly government funded

Quote from The Feminine Mystique “As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffered Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night--she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question-- ‘Is this all’?”

Changes Made in Domestic Life In many families, men took on more of household labor Tax breaks for families who paid for outside childcare Laws for maternity leave

Concerns on Education Few women in college, many dropped out to marry Limited, often negative images of females in schools Girls education often limited to preparing for career as housewife (ex. home economics)

Changes in Education Affirmative action programs helped women 1972: Congress passed Title IX--outlawed sex discrimination in educational programs that received federal money Major impact on women’s sports programs

Concerns on Health Reproductive rights—control over reproductive health and sex lives More decision making over when to have children and how many children to have

Changes in Health Birth control pill got FDA approval and legalization in early 1960s Abortion rights in 1970s (Roe v. Wade)

Concerns on Media and Beauty Standards Women objectified in media--seen as objects rather than intelligent, unique individuals Narrow standards of beauty in advertisements Beauty pageants symbol of how women objectified

Changes in Media and Beauty Standards Women thought critically about role as sex objects and began to embrace new, diverse standards of beauty New women’s magazine, Ms., focused on women’s intellectual and health concerns, not just fashion and beauty

Concerns in Politics Not enough female influence in politics Lack of women representatives in politics

Changes in Politics National Organization of Women (NOW) formed to put women’s issue on political agenda 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade established women’s right to medically safe abortion 1973 Congress passed Equal Rights Amendment Never ratified by states because of conservative opposition, still shows women’s issues being addressed

Concerns on Work Women not paid equally Women often not hired at all Women who did get hired often clustered into jobs that fit “women’s work”

Changes in Women’s Work Equal Pay Act of 1963 Civil rights legislation in 1960s and affirmative action programs to help bring women into workforce By 1980s, many more women working outside the home