Feminist Movements

Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, 1963 Inspired white, middle class, suburban housewives Friedan’s solution to “The Problem with No Name” = Education & Employment Used surveys of women from high school – 40s

Causes of 1960s Feminist Movement Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, 1963 Civil Rights Era & Anti-Vietnam War Protests Large population of educated women in U.S. The Sexual Revolution

The Sexual Revolution 1960s = New emphasis on casual dating, self- fulfillment, & open talk about sex in society Rise in pre-marital sex, couples living together out of wedlock 1960 = F.D.A. approved the first Birth Control Pill Religious groups issued statements against the Pill

(NOW) National Organization for Women Formed by 28 women in 1966 Members were professional, politicized women & unhappy former housewives 1967 = 1,000 members vs. 1971 = 15,000 members Betty Friedan was first president The major organization for women in the 1960s feminist movement

Consciousness Raising Recruitment tactic of younger feminists Transformed a woman’s perception of herself and society Sought to make “private” issues public: rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, anti- pornography

Roe v. Wade (1973) Supreme Court upheld a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion 1972 = Over 2,500 illegal abortions performed per day Maternal deaths from abortions declined

Pervasiveness of Sexism Sexism exists at all levels of society: in family, law, economy, religion, media Ending sexism means changing attitudes as well as laws Feminist groups debated HOW to end oppression of women

What About Other Feminists? Moderate = Betty Friedan, fans of The Feminine Mystique, NOW members Working-class, lesbian, and women of color left out of 1960s feminist movement

Believed racism & sexism needed to be eradicated together 1970s = Black Feminist movement began with women who were left out of both the Civil Rights Movement and Black Panthers Believed racism & sexism needed to be eradicated together Combahee River Collective

(ERA) Equal Rights Amendment 1st Proposed in 1923 by suffragist Alice Paul & the National Women’s Party Constitutional Amendment would have guaranteed equal rights for women and men

Passed by Congress in 1972 Expired in 1982 with only 35 out of 38 states required to approve Opponents feared it would eliminate women’s protection laws (that were based upon women’s inequality)

Title 9 A step to bring equity to women’s sports on July 1, 1972 “Intense forms of physical and psychic conflict…tend to destroy girls’ physical and psychic charm and adaptability for motherhood” --“Olympics for Girls?” 1929 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Althea Gibson Billie Jean King