The 1960s are famous for sparking some of the biggest social movements in American history. While women in America have been protesting for equal rights since the beginning, their efforts reached a pinnacle in this decade. During the 1950s, many women felt like the sexist social norms for females threatened to their independence, so they were able to change their roles through protests. Within one decade, women's roles were completely changed- suddenly, they could explore new social freedoms and live life independently, which is something they could have never done before.
Today, many American women face similar threats to their freedom that others felt in the 1960s. With events such as rapists walking away from court with only a month of jail, or the recent election of a president who wants to defund Planned Parenthood, feelings of fear in women across the country can be paralleled with those from the 1960 and 70s.
Here are some comparisons between the recent Women's Marches and 1960-70s women's movement protests:
Media Use
In the 1960s and 70s, American media ridiculed women's rights activists, calling them aggressive, bitter, angry, unfeminine, and confrontational. However, this didn't stop them from manipulating it to their advantage. They protested at heavily televised events such as the Miss America Beauty Pageant, and only scheduled interviews with female reporters. While much of the media continued to attack the movement, the activists were able to effectively expose the movement to the rest of the country and gain support.
Leaders
1960-70s women's movement leaders included Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedman (The Feminine Mystique), Helen Gurley Brown (Sex and the Single Girl) and Germaine Greer.
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| Women's Strike for Equality 1970 |
Turnouts
NOW Activists organized a "Women's Strike for Equality" on August 26, 1970- the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage. 50,000 people marched in New York, while 100,000 people participated in protests in 90 cities and 42 states.
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| Women's March 2017 |
About 3,300,000- 4,600,000 people participated in the Women's Marches in America alone. An estimated 5 million people participated worldwide. It was the largest single-day demonstration in American history.
Impact
While the Equal Rights Amendment was not passed in 1972, the women's rights protests of the 1960-70s signified a huge change in the role of women throughout America. They gained new social freedoms, brought issues such as domestic violence and rape into the national eye, and overall began a modern wave of feminism in America.The 2017 Women's Marches also signified a new era in America. Held right after the inauguration of President elect Trump, protestors successfully established their unified strength against sexism and gender inequality. It is also rumored that the women's marches had an effect on the recent failure of Donald Trump and Paul Ryan's plan to replace Obamacare and pull government funding for Planned Parenthood.
Sources:
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=11832
https://www.womensmarch.com/mission/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Women's_March
http://now.org/about/history/history-of-marches-and-mass-actions/
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/03/12/the-1960s-a-decade-of-change-for-women
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment
This is a great post, it contrasts the two time periods very well. It's interesting to see the progression of these movements over time, like how the turnout to protests increased dramatically, and how women are given more liberties over time. It's important to note that these time periods represent different "waves" of feminism with somewhat different focuses.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting read. I really like how you put what we learned in class into the contest of today; it really gives me a better understanding of the public mood of the time, and helps reflect past movement to today
ReplyDeleteThis was a super interesting post. I really like how you expanded on what we learned in class and discussed the current relevance of women's rights movements. It's also great to see how successful these movements have proven to be, confirming that every citizen has a voice and the power to make change.
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