1. 1950s-1980s THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT

2. Summary 1950s – The Perfect Woman Beginning of the Feminist Movement Women in the Workforce Family Changes Sexual Revolution Legislative Action

3. Key Terms Feminine Mystique Sexual Revolution Roe v. Wade ERA

4. 1950s – The Perfect Woman Societal Pressure for women to return to home and be good wives and mothers, idealized women at home if the family could afford it 3 If they worked and didn’t need it they were considered selfish 3 Women got married right out of high school or in college 3 1/3 of girls married by 19 2 Women had large families, about three to four children 3 From 1940-1960: the number of families with 3 children doubled and the number of families with 4 children quadrupled 3

5. 1950s – The Perfect Woman Remaining single was undesirable and being single and pregnant was unacceptable 3 It became no longer acceptable for a wife to shut her husband out of the bedroom, so effective female- controlled contraceptives were needed 3, however birth control information classified as “obscene 1 ” 1951 average age of marriage drops to 20 years old for women 2

6. Beginning of the Feminist Movement Women extremely active in Civil Rights Movement Began to resent their subordinate status 2 By 1960 36% of all women 16 and older worked for pay 2 Median income of the working woman was 1/3 that of a man 2 Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique Describes her experience as a middle-class housewife Image of woman as mother, wife, living through husband and children and giving up her own dreams 2

7. Beginning of the Feminist Movement Women waged protests against traditional womanhood such as the Miss American pageant 2 National Organization for Women formed 1966 Filed over 1000 suits against sex discrimination 2 In 1967 women were 50% of voters but held only 4% of state legislative seats and 2% of judgeships 2 1969 women were 40% of entire labor force in US 2 Most of these jobs were secretaries, cleaning women, teachers, waitresses etc.

8. Women in the Workforce 1969 women were 40% of entire labor force in US Most of these jobs were secretaries, cleaning women, teachers, waitresses etc. 2 They earned 56% of the average male worker’s wage 4 1978: Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) prohibits women being fired, denied a job, or denied a promotion because they are pregnant 5

9. Family Changes Women fought for free child care, right for abortion and equal pay 1965 married couples could obtain contraceptives legally 2 1960-1980 Married couples with children: 44.2% - 30.9% 6 Men living alone: 4.3% - 8.6% 6 Women living alone: 8.7% - 14% 6 Never married: 17.3% - 22.5% 6

10. Sexual Revolution Sexual Revolution – based upon the idea that women enjoyed sex just as much as men and should be able to enjoy it, clashed with traditional American values 3 Right to abortion Before 1970 1 million abortions done every year, only 10,000 of which were legal 2 1/3 of women having illegal abortions had to be hospitalized for complications 2 Illegalizing abortions worked against poor because rich could afford to either have baby or have a safe abortion Court actions to make abortions legal began in over 20 states between 1968-1970 2 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decided states could prohibit abortions only in the last three months of pregnancy 2 Our Bodies, Ourselves open book about formally taboo health issues 2 Women began to speak out against rape 2 Birth control

11. Legislative Action 1964 Civil Rights bill, conservatives hoped to defeat the entire bill by adding an amendment to outlaw discrimination on the basis of gender as well as race. First the amendment then the bill passed 3 ERA – Equal Rights Amendment Women leaders such as Gloria Steinem campaigned for Amendment that would eliminate gender discrimination Amendment failed

12. Bibliography 1.Eisenberg, Bonnie, and Mary Ruthsdotter. "Living the Legacy:The Women's Rights Movement1848 - 1998." Living the Legacy. 2002. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.. 2.Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States: 1492-present. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. Print. 3."Women in the 1950s." PBS.org. PBS. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.. 4.Geddes, Darryl. "Women in the Workplace." Cornell Chronicle Online. 19 Feb. 1998. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.. 5.Smith, Kristin E., and Amara Bachu. "Women's Labor Force Attachment Patterns and Maternity Leave: A Review of the Literature." Census Bureau Homepage. 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.. 6.Tompkins, Vincent. American Decades. Family Life ed. Vol. 8. Gale Cengage, 2000. Print.