Progress Towards Female Equality

Question 1

What was the persistent view of women?

Answer 1

-belief duty of woman remained at home persisted for most of 60s
-mainly among working class

Question 2

What was second wave feminism?

Answer 2

-started in US when Betty Friedan in ‘Feminine Mystique’ 1963 argued women were unfulfilled in their restricted lives
-spread to Br where growth female education contributed to growing frustration
-women accounted for only 28% in higher education 1970

Question 3

What was life like for girls + women at lowed end of the social scale?

Answer 3

-girls education still carried domestic slant + frequently left school as minimum age to marry young

Question 4

What were jobs like for women?

Answer 4

-no shortage of jobs for women
-could be paid less + mainly in clerical + service sector with no prospects
-working mothers still viewed as selfish + unnatural
-childminders rare + private nurseries only affordable for wealthy

Question 5

What was the NHS family planning act?

Answer 5

-passed 1970
-allowed local authorities provide contraceptives + advice for first time
-but changing attitudes meant illegitimate births rose 5.8% 1960 to 8.2% 1970 along with marriages ending in divorce

Question 6

How was the feminist movement encouraged?

Answer 6

-encouraged by publication articles + books such as ‘the longest rev’ 1966 by Juliet Mitchell
-women’s liberation groups sprang up around UK campaign for social + econ equality for women

Question 7

What was the rally in Britain concerning women’s rights?

Answer 7

-rally 1969 led to est women’s national co-ordination committee
-brought together strands of feminist movement

Question 8

What happened at the first women’s liberation conference?

Answer 8

-held at Ruskin college, Oxford feb 1970
-four demands put forward — equal pay, free contraception + abortion on request, equal educational + job opportunities + free 24 hr child care

Question 9

What progress was made?

Answer 9

-1970 matrimonial property act est a work wife (at home or paid job) should taken into account in divorce settlements
-1970 equal pay act est principle equal pay but didn’t come into force until 1975

Question 10

What continued?

Answer 10

-feminist movement not in full force until 1970s
-end 60s inequalities + discrimination remained
-traditional stereotyping of roles remained strong
-60s period of evolution + not revolution