By: Raisa Williams

Lesbian Feminism Movement Lesbian feminism largely emerged in response to the women’s liberation movement’s exclusion of lesbians. As the Second Wave of feminism picked up steam during the 1960s, feminist discourse largely ignored lesbianism. Some feminists harbored hostile attitudes towards lesbians, however. Some viewed lesbianism as a sexual rather than a political issue. NOW’s leader at the time, Betty Friedan, referred to lesbianism as the “Lavender Menace.” This phrase referred to her view that incorporating lesbianism in the feminist agenda would undermine the credibility of the women’s movement overall.

Liberation Movement At the dawn of the 1960s, there was a growing gap between a prevailing ideology of the contented housewife in a traditional domestic role and the reality of increasing numbers of women in the workforce who faced discrimination in pay and advancement because of their gender. The Women's Liberation Movement in Boston began in an era of elevated consciousness about an array of civil rights issues. In the mid-1960s, the country was riveted by political activists, first battling for the civil rights for African Americans, then demonstrating against the Vietnam War. Women learned from these radical criticisms of society and began to adopt their rhetoric and methods toward issues of women's rights.

Continuation of the Women's Liberation Movement In 1969, women organized a conference at Emmanuel College with over 500 attendees. The conference spawned the formation of more formal women’s organizations in Boston, such as Bread and Roses, the first socialist women’s organization in the United States. Like their sisters across the U.S., Boston female activists in Bread and Roses advocated for a number of concerns, such as abortion and other reproductive rights, child care, equal employment, laws against discrimination, and to prevent violence against women.

NOW In 1966, Betty Friedan plus twenty-eight middle class, professional women established the National Organization of Women. (NOW) The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society, bringing privileges and responsibilities that they rightfully deserve.

Red stockings Movement The group was started by Ellen Willis and Shulamith Firestone in February 1969 after the breakup of New York Radical Women. They organized a group and called themselves the Red stockings because they wanted to speak out against abortion in New York City. They were tried of being told what they should do and they basically wanted privacy

The Women’s Rights Movement The women’s movement of the 1960’s and part of the 1970’s drew up inspiration from the civil rights movement. It was mainly made up of middle class women who had something important to say. This led to the sexual revolution which was sparked by the development and marketing of birth control pills.

Continuation of the Women’s Rights Movement This led to the fallout of which made it illegal to discriminate against someone based on gender and race. Women became legally and then socially empowered to find productive outlets other than finding a husband and bearing children.

Bibliography content/uploads/2008/07/1968protest10e.jpg&imgrefurl says-men-and-women-have-equal-rights e.htm