Women’s Liberation Movement

Movement

Women’s Liberation

By:Advik Dixit

INDEX

What caused it?

How did the government respond?

What is it?

Major Events

What were the effects to this day?

Music Playlist

Sources

What is it?

The Women’s Liberation Movement was a revolutionary political change in the 1960s and 1970s which aided women in retaining their rights and equality in society. Unlike the first wave of feminism, which helped them gain legal equality, this new second wave touched more on social concepts for equality such as “politics, work, the family, and sexuality”(Burkett).

What caused it?

With the first feminist movement bringing about legal rights for women, some stones were still left unturned. Women may have found their place in the political landscape but were still being treated inferior within society. This gradual build-up led to an outburst of several protests to help claim their equality in society. Also, WWII opened up several new windows of opportunity for women to work and prove their worth. Nurses, soldiers, and replacement workers for the men who were out to war were jobs women were able to fill in.

How did the government respond?

Many representatives took actions within their state and gave the federal government guidance to also follow. In 1866, New York’s James Brooks wrote a letter along with Indiana’s George Washington Julian to welcome “the opportunity to franchise women”(History, Arts, Archives). By December 1968, he was able to propose a constitutional amendment “the right to vote without discrimination.”

What were the effects to this day?

Women are now able to work in the workplace as well as not being restricted to just being a housewife and living the passing tradition of staying in the kitchen while bearing and raising children. They also made large social progress in society. The number of “working women climbed 42%” and those new jobs they held were considered to be hard-working men’s jobs.

Major Events

1960-FDA approved birth control pills for women to use by 1961. This allowed women to restrict the need for kids and focus on their careers. President JFK even boosted women’s participation in the government and assigned them high positions in his administration.

1963-Betty Friedan wrote her bestselling book “The Feminine Mystique” in which she describes the “wasted potential” that is happening with the women being oppressed to stay home and be the housewife. She considered the picture-perfect image of women in the kitchen as degrading, and was “credited with having begun the second wave of feminism.”

Music Playlist

"Do you notice me(x9)"

"Out in public, make a scene I don't cook, I don't clean"

Notice me-Pnb Rock

WAP-Cardi B

One can relate these lyrics to the feminist movement as they were outdoors protesting and causing a scene so that the government would take notice of their oppression. They may also be exclaiming how they do not cook or clean to imply that they do not need to do house chores and they are capable of making an impact on society.

These lyrics may significantly relate to the feminist movement as they were repeatedly asking for attention in the government. The representation in government women adamantly wanted can be visioned through the lyrics that are begging for the attention of the audience. In the females’ case, it is society who they are desperately requesting to notice them.

Sources

Works Cited Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3346. History.com Editors. “Feminism.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Feb. 2019, www.history.com/topics/womens-history/feminism-womens-history. Learning, Lumen. “Sociology.” Lumen, courses.lumenlearning.com/vccs-soc200-17sp/chapter/reading-the-womens-movement/. “Women's Rights Movement.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/event/womens-movement.

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