1. Women in the 1950s
As the U.S. transitioned from WWII into the 1950s, only 1 in 3 women worked; a stark comparison to the 75% of married women who worked during the war
The decrease of women in the labor force can be attributed to men returning from war and reclaiming their jobs
Women who had previously worked in industries were then forced to return home or settle for domestic service jobs such as clerical work, retail sales, social work, teaching, and nursing

2. Women Question Domesticity
Advertisements of the 1950s and the creation of new appliances glorified the roles of homemakers and moms
However, women, who knew they had been key to the war effort, began to question their domestic lifestyles
Writers such as Betty Friedan began to question if women could find fulfillment simply by staying home
Unsurprisingly, many women began to want more for themselves

3. The Beginnings of a Movement
In 1961, President Kennedy created the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
By 1963, the commission discovered that women were paid less than men for the same work and were rarely promoted
The publication of these findings awoke many women to their unequal status in American society
More importantly, many women had participated in the African American civil rights movement, in which their voices had been silenced in favor of the leading male figures of the movement

4. The Women’s Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave many women hope that they could attain equal status
The act created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which was meant to handle discrimination claims
Unfortunately, by 1966, it became clear that the EEOC was failing to prosecute discriminatory practices
That same year, Betty Friedan, and 28 others formed the National Organization for Women (NOW), the most prominent women’s right group of the 1960s

5. The Legacy of the Women’s Movement
Overall, the women’s movement was very successful in achieving its goals
The split between national movements, such as NOW, and local movements, such as the women’s liberation movement, helped women create social change through multiple avenues
The national movements applied pressure on Congress and the courts
The local movements applied pressure in social settings
Together, they were able to tackle legal and social issues

6. Addressing Legal Issues
National movements like NOW successfully applied pressure to Congress and the courts for women’s equality
Nonviolent protests between and 1970 forced the EEOC to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Supreme Court case, Weeks v. Southern Bell, ensured that “protective labor legislation” became a thing of the past
The creation of Title IX in 1972 ensured that women would be provided the same educational opportunities as men
In 1973,the Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade, made it legal for women to have abortions and gain control of their reproductive health

7. Addressing Social Issues
Local movements like the women’s liberation movement encouraged society to change how they viewed women
Using speak-outs and conscientious- raising, women created safe environments in which women could publicly share their stories and make the public aware of female hardships
They worked to normalize women sexuality and the use of contraceptives
They introduced terms such as “sexism” and “male chauvinism” to better address inequities

8. Shortcomings of the Women’s Movement
In 1972, women almost provided the country with federally funded childcare when Congress passed the the Comprehensive Child Care Bill
Unfortunately, President Nixon vetoed the bill
Also in 1972, the women’s movement successfully pressured Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, a Constitutional Amendment that would make it illegal discriminate against women in any way
However, conservatives launched an anti- ERA campaign that prevented the amendment from being ratified in the required 38 states
Since 1980, the amendment has been proposed yearly and has yet to be added to the U.S. Constitution