Women Fight for Equality

Title: Women Fight for Equality Labels: Women's_Rights, Friedan, Schlafly, Steinem, Roe_v_Wade, ERA, NOW, Feminism,

Directions: As you read about the rise of a new women’s movement, take notes to explain how each of the following helped to create or advance the movement. Most jobs were deemed as male jobs and women were forbidden to do them or suited for them.

1. Experiences in the workplace
Women could only get jobs that were low paying, and even when they got jobs they were rarely ever promoted to a higher or better position. Most jobs were deemed as male jobs and women were forbidden to do them or suited for them. This proved that women were treated unfairly and they didn't get treated like men.

2. Experiences in social activism- Women joined groups where they felt they were treated unequally by men and not given higher positions. The women were given lesser roles when the men had more authority and or power.

3. "Consciousness raising"- they were groups where women would talk about having been discriminated against or experienced sexism. Women figured out that it was common among women to be discriminated against.

4. Feminism- Feminism: the belief that women should have economic, political, and social equality with men. Women took belief in feminism and they developed very strong emotions against men and for women's rights.

5. Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique- betty Friedan published the book The Feminine Mystique explaining that woman believed that they were not being treated equally and how it was common for a woman to think that she was not equal to a mans rights and how it often made women unhappy because of the inequality. It showed the sexism of women to men.

6. Civil Rights Act of 1964- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave woman determination to advance woman rights. The Act was a good example of showing that change was an extreme possibility and woman became more ambitious for equality.

7. National Organization for Women (NOW)- It was a very helpful organization that came to the aid of women to help them further pursue jobs and ultimately equality. It set up child care facilities that let mothers work and have jobs that were rather high paying and gave them the possibility of gaining a higher position.

8. Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine- She spoke publicly and spoke out loud to people and helped create the National Women's Political caucus.

9. Congress- Congress passed the equal rights amendment that gave women equality in 1972.

10. Supreme Court- The Supreme Court ruled to take away the right of women to have an abortion or not in the Roe vs Wade trial. Abortion became a huge issue involving womans rights and decisions.

11. The Equal rights Amendment would have guaranteed equal rights under the law, regardless of gender. Who opposed this amendment? Why?
Phyllis Schlafly opposed the equal rights amendment because she felt many factors would tie in with the amendment that would make women unhappy like, women being drafted for war, it would stop gay marriage, it would make men no longer support for their family as heavily as they did, and it would eliminate laws that protected homeowners.