1969 - 92 A triumph for radical feminism Flashcards
(22 cards)
1
Q
By the early 1970s, what could women now do?
A
- Because of Laws against gender discrimination, some areas of work opened up to women that had previously been reserved exclusively for men and vice versa
- They could now become telephone engineers and construction workers and even had the opportunity to now join the police force
- many more courses in higher education was made available to women
2
Q
What happened between 1970 and 1980?
A
- Gender discrimination decreased by 10%
3
Q
Was gender discrimination fully gone due to legislation introduced?
A
- Despite equal opportunities legislations, discrimination and inequality still existed as there was still unequal pay
- NOW used law suits to push employers to implement the law appropriately, especially around pregnancy, childcare and access to traditionally male dominated jobs
- Only 4.8% of managers and executives were women and most women worked in low prestige jobs
- The concept of the glass ceiling came around which was an indivisible barrier that restricted women from gaining high positions in the work place
- However by the mid 1990s, there was evidence that this was improving, particularly for white middle class women, as wage gaps narrowed
4
Q
By 1970 , what percentage of women made up the workforce?
A
- 42.8 %
5
Q
What were the barriers to maternal rights?
A
- The FG refusal to legislate paid maternity leave and the lack of child care facilities were obstacles for married women in the workforce, especially African American Women
- by the mid 1980s only five states provided paid maternal leave so women who were the sole breadwinner were hit hard by this
- by 1992 there was still no federal law requiring employers to provide paid maternal leave
6
Q
What impact did Radical Feminists have?
A
- RF had a major impact on women’s rights in the 1960s and 1970s by challenging the deep rooted structures of patriarchy
- For example by the mid 1970s “ The Feminists” who were a group of women in New York that called for the abolition of marriage
- The Radicalesbians ( an organisation formed in 1973 combining women and gay liberation and campaigned for a genderless society) claimed that women could only really be liberated through lesbianism
- By the 1970s, Radical feminism reached its peak and as a result Anti- feminist movements emerged to challenge feminist assertions of what constituted women’s rights
7
Q
What was the first feminist magazine and why was it significant?
A
- It was called Ms and was edited by Gloria Steinem
- It promoted feminist ideals and quickly became popular and by the end of the year there was 200,000 copies circulating
- It was significant because it gave women a space to express their views and share their experiences and challenge male dominated media
- It also served as a tool for activism, by announcing meetings an campaigns and encouraged readers to get involved and fight for change
8
Q
What did surverys find?
A
- Surveys carried out in the 1970s and 80s help to show that attitudes of young women towards the separate sphere was changing
- In 1968, 65% of girls wanted to be housewives by the time they reached 35 and by 1978, only 25% had these aspirations
- This helps to show that the feminist movement increased awareness of alternatives to marriage and motherhood
9
Q
What happened by the 1970s?
A
- The Pill became available to all young women who had reached the age of 18
- Access to this gave women total control over childbearing , and sociologists argue this was a factor for the growing mindset amongst women of marrying later and to take advantage of educational and career opportunities
10
Q
Why did radical feminism not have a significant impact?
A
- Radical feminists were often viewed as extreme and they invited suspicion and disgust not just from women but from men as well, a survey found that in 1972, 33% of men supported gender equality compared to 1990 which rose to 40%, which indicates slow progress in changing male attitudes
- The feminist messaging often resonated with middle class women and many poor and working class women felt it did not reflect their realities
- By the mid 1970s, some radical feminists were in the process of rethinking their beliefs especially about the meaning of equality
11
Q
What was Roe V Wade?
A
- Was a landmark in the history of the pursuit of women’s rights in 1973 and it was the US supreme court decision that legalised abortion and affirmed a womens right to choose to terminate a pregnancy
- Previously in a majority of states, abortion was illegal except if the life of the mother was in danger
12
Q
What is the background of Roe v Wade?
A
- In 1970, Norma McCorvey a poor single, working class women from Texas sued the Country district Lawyer, Henry Wade , but she did this under another name Jane Roe
- And although her life was not in danger, she argued that she did not want to bring another child into the world if she could not afford it
- Roe’s lawyers were Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee and they helped argue that abortion laws in Texas violated her rights under the Constitution of the US.
- The judges in the court decided in her favour but only as a one off, however this did not satisfy Roe’s lawyers as they wanted to ensure no other women in Texas who wanted a legal abortion would be turned down
- The Judgement was made by Justice Harry Blackman and he established the constitutional right to abortion in the USA as he said the right was protected in the 14th amendment
13
Q
What was the reaction to the Roe V Wade ruling ?
A
- The ruling had a huge impact, making abortion a highly controversial and divisive topic
- It led to legal and moral challenges, especially from state legislatures unwilling to follow the ruling
- Many state-level restrictions were challenged, and the Supreme Court initially overturned these
- Over time, the Court allowed some restrictions, such as: Requiring counseling before an abortion and special rules for teenage pregnancies.
- There were some supporters of Roe, for example groups like the National Abortion Rights Action League formed to defend the ruling
14
Q
what did the federal government do to abortion ?
A
- Federal funding for abortions became a major issue, resulting in: The 1976 Hyde Amendment: banned federal money from being used for abortions.
- This helps to show the Political backlash to Roe v. Wade: It reflected growing resistance to the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
- It led to inequality in abortion access as it meant that only women with money could have access to abortion services and poorer women had fewer choices
15
Q
What opposition was there to Roe ?
A
- The Catholic Church, which banned abortions in its hospitals and by its doctors
- Evangelical Protestant churches and some Jewish groups also opposed abortion.
- These religious groups only supported abortion if the mother’s life was in danger.
16
Q
Who was Phyllis Schlafy and what did she do ?
A
- led the anti-abortion movement, claiming women who supported abortion were going against their natural roles
- She Opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) , which aimed to guarantee equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex.
- She argued that the ERA would: Force women into the military and undermine traditional family roles and also feared it would eliminate workplace protections for women.
- She supported the idea that the womens role should be full time wife and mother
- Schlafly was a vocal opponent of abortion. She believed that legal abortion weakened family values and gave women “too much power” over family structure.
- Schlafly claimed feminists were: Rejecting their natural roles. Trying to “replace” men rather than gain equality
17
Q
What was Phyllis Schlafy impact on women rights ?
A
- Schlafly opposed laws that aimed to make women equal in the workforce. As a result, her movement slowed progress toward equal pay, maternity leave, and anti-discrimination protections.
- Schlafly promoted traditional gender roles—encouraging women to be wives, mothers, and homemakers and criticized feminism for “making women unhappy” by pushing them into the workforce or away from family life.
- Argued that women did not need more rights, but should be grateful for their roles in the home, by doing this she pushed back at social progression for women
18
Q
What progress was made in womens politics ?
A
- Increased Political Awareness and Voting:
Women were more politically aware, as shown by the increased number of women voting, and it also helps to show greater engagement with politics - The number of women putting themselves forward for Congressional elections increased, for example In 1968, only 20 women ran for election to both houses of Congress, however by 1990, the number had increased to 78
- Significant numbers of women joined the Senate for the first time in 1992
- By 1990, seven more states had elected female governors, indicating a shift in public acceptance.
19
Q
Who was Shirley Chisholm ?
A
- Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman to campaign for the presidential nomination in 1972
- Chisholm’s candidacy shattered both racial and gender barriers in American politics.
- she proved that someone who was both Black and a woman could run a serious campaign for the highest office in the country.
- Chisholm became a powerful symbol of representation, especially for Black women, many of whom had never seen someone who looked like them in national politics
- She challenged the male-dominated political system and proved women could serve effectively in positions of power.
20
Q
what was the national womens politcal caucus ?
A
- Founded in 1971 by prominent feminists such as Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm and Betty Friedan.
- Was created in response to the lack of female political representation. Its main goal was to increase the number of women in elected and appointed office at all levels of government, regardless of party affiliation.
- actively recruited and trained women to run for political office.
- Between 1974 and 1994, the number of women running for Congress and state legislatures doubled
- This helped normalize the idea of women in politics, encouraging more to see it as a viable career path
- However, women of color and working-class women sometimes felt excluded from leadership and priorities
21
Q
What was the shift in public opinion ?
A
- In 1978, 76% of women said they’d vote for a female president; by 1991, this rose to 86%
- This shift showed a growing societal readiness for female leadership, although support from men remained weaker.
22
Q
What limitations was there to womens politics ?
A
- Presidents like Bush Sr. and Nixon used their power to block key pro-women legislation:
- Bush vetoed paid parental leave legislation.
- in 1972 Nixon vetoed the Child Development Act, framing it as a threat to traditional family life.
- By the early 1990s there was still no federal law establishing the right of working women
