MOVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE The Second Wave of Feminism LEARNING INTENTION: Define the second wave of feminism and outline the perspectives of three key second wave feminists

Defining the second wave of feminism… RECAPPING: Feminism strives for political, social and economic equality between the sexes RECAPPING: Feminism involves organised activities on behalf of women’s rights and interests RAISED AWARENESS around de facto inequalities INCREASED DEBATE AND CHALLENGED gender roles in the work place INCREASED DEBATE around sexuality TURN ALL THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THESE BOXES INTO A FLUENT PARAGRAPH INCREASED DEBATE AND CHALLENGED roles in the family RAISED AWARENESS about reproductive rights CHALLENGED official legal inequialities BEGAN: United States in the early 1960s and spread throughout the Western World

Social Forces bringing about the Second Wave of Feminism

The Second World War Women played a vital part in both world wars Many women found that the advances they had made were greatly reduced when the soldiers returned from fighting abroad With so many men out fighting, women were needed to work on the land and in factories: traditionally male dominated positions Pay was significantly less than males got during peace time

The Second World War Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) in Britain had one million members by 1943 Mainly older women as younger women were needed in factories and on the land Did whatever was needed: Aided people who had lost homes collected scrap metal knitted for service men provided tea and refreshments

Increased female involvement in the Work Force ‘In 1921 only 9.2 percent of women in the paid workforce were married; the figure in 1970 was over fifty-three percent’ (Evans et.al 2006:176). BUT WHY? Booming post World War II economy More jobs available to women Increased birth control This challenged the old belief that a woman’s place was in the home

The need for organisation With opportunities opening up for women, many felt organisation was needed BUT WHY? To educate women about their options To ensure they were treated with respect in the workplace To ensure they achieved equality and fairness in all aspects of working life Various feminist thinkers sought to make this happen: Simone de Beauvior, Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer

Building the second wave of feminism INFLUENTIAL WOMEN

Building the second wave of feminism Simone de Beauvior: A pioneering feminist Published Le Deuxiéme Sexe (The Second Sex) in 1949 Explored how women had been oppressed by patriarchy Existentialist philosophy: One is not born a women but becomes one through social experience

Building the second wave of feminism Simone de Beauvior: A pioneering feminist Argued that women are made to feel that the male ideal is one they should aspire to Women are made to feel that being a women was to lack something Argued women should be seen as a separate identity deserving equal recognition and status Have the right to exercise their own choices in developing their identity

Building the second wave of feminism Betty Friedan: A pioneering feminist Was fired from her job as a union newspaper journalist in 1952 for being pregnant In consequent freelance work, become angry of injustices experienced by women in the workforce

Building the second wave of feminism Betty Friedan: A pioneering feminist 1957 study: Explored lost opportunities of women who had children. Most return to the domestic sphere, regretting it Nobody wished to publish her work From this study, she went onto write ‘The Feminine mystique’ which had a powerful political impact

Building the second wave of feminism Germaine Greer: A pioneering feminist Influential Australian feminist The Female Eunuch (1970), Sex and Destiny: The politics of Human Fertility (1984) Argued that traditional western social roles of women (e.g: house maker, mother, care giver) repressed the development of their identity

Integrating quotes into your writing Example STEPS TO USING QUOTES: Create the context for the quote Smoothly intergrade the quote into your writing Explain the meaning or relevance of the quote Betty Friedan was a significant theorist that influenced the rise of the second wave of feminism. She asserted that women are in the habit of being oppressed by men and must realise they need to change this. She argues that ‘[m]en are not the enemy, but the fellow victims. The real enemy is women's denigration of themselves’ (Friedan 1957). Friedan suggests women need to see themselves as deserving equality, and consequently, society will benefit.

Integrating quotes into your writing As a class STEPS TO USING QUOTES: Create the context for the quote Smoothly intergrade the quote into your writing Explain the meaning or relevance of the quote ‘One is not born a woman, but becomes one’ (De Beauvior 1949).