The Feminist Movement This movement occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Many women became dissatisfied with their role as homemakers. Other women who worked outside of the home recognized their unequal status as reflected in lower pay and fewer opportunities. This led to the rise of the feminist movement.

Equal Pay The President’s Commission on the Status of Women, established by John F. Kennedy and led by Eleanor Roosevelt, lobbied Congress for women’s legislation. In 1963, they won the passage of the Equal Pay Act, which in most cases outlawed paying men more than women for the same job.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in the workplace based on race. Title VII in this act specifically banned discrimination in the workplace based on race, ethnicity, religion, and gender.

Betty Friedan The beginning of the feminist movement began with the book The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Friedan traveled the country and interviewed women for her book. Many women reported feeling unfulfilled and expressed their desire for equal status in society. Women discussed her book in the months after its released, eventually coordinating the feminist movement.

National Organization for Women (NOW) Betty Friedan’s goal was to “take the actions needed to bring women into the mainstream of American society, now…in fully equal partnership with men.” The NOW movement demanded greater educational opportunities and focused on aiding women in the workplace. NOW denounced the exclusion of women from certain professions and said the Equal Pay Act was not being enforced.

Ms. Magazine By 1972, NOW had a magazine of its own, Ms., which kept readers informed on women’s issues. The author of the new magazine was Gloria Steinem, one of NOW’s leading figures.

Title IX Bans gender discrimination in education. Prohibits federally funded schools from discriminating against young women in nearly all aspects of operations, from admissions to schools as well as athletics. Many schools implemented this new law slowly, or not at all. However, at least young girls had federal law on their side now.

Roe v Wade Before 1973, the right to regulate abortion was reserved to the states. Some states allowed it in certain cases (to save the mothers life) and others banned it completely. Women who chose to have an illegal abortion faced criminal prosecution. In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that states could NOT regulate abortion during the first three months of pregnancy. (So it is legal to have an abortion during the first three months) During the rest of a pregnancy the states can regulate abortion based on health of the mother/medical necessity.

Shirley Chisolm She was the first African American woman elected to Congress. “Of my two “handicaps”, being female put more obstacles in my path than being black.”

Equal Rights Amendment Congress proposed an amendment in 1972, to protect women against discrimination. Although Congress voted for this amendment, there were not enough states willing to ratify it. In the end, the amendment failed. Some people feared the ERA would take away traditional rights such as the right to alimony and single gender colleges. Phyllis Schlafly organized the STOP-ERA campaign. She feared the amendment would ruin the traditional family and women would feel obligated or forced to work outside the home.

Impact of the Feminist Movement More women pursuing college degrees and careers outside the home Employers offer options to make work more compatible with family life (ie: flexible hours and on site child care) However, there is still a significant income gap between men and women in spite of the Equal Pay Act

Native Americans In the 1970s, Native Americans were one of the smallest minority groups but had more justifiable grievances. Average income was $1000 less than African Americans Unemployment was ten times the national rate Many suffered from discrimination and limited education/training Life expectancy was 7 years below the national average

Declaration of Indian Purpose Native Americans issued a manifesto calling for policies to create greater economic opportunities on reservations (ie. Jobs)

Indian Civil Rights Act Unlike other groups demanding more assimilation into mainstream society, Native Americans wanted greater independence from it. Congress passed the Indian Civil Rights Act in 1968, guaranteeing reservation residents protection under the Bill of Rights, but also recognized the legitimacy of local reservation law

American Indian Movement (AIM) Some Native Americans believed the government’s actions were too modest in regard to equality. So they formed a more militant group. Alcatraz: AIM occupied the abandoned Alcatraz prison for 19 months. They claimed ownership by “right of discovery” Wounded Knee- In February, 1973, AIM occupied Wounded Knee for 70 days. They demanded radical changes in the administration of reservations and that the government honor its long forgotten treaty obligations. A brief clash occurred and the FBI killed two Native Americans and both sides suffered causualties.