Womens Movement
Womens Movement
Womens Movement
Samantha Atzeni
Comp 110
4/10 /11
Today’s life is a lot more different for women than what is was in the past. Women of this
era have more freedom then they did in the past, and it is because the women who came
before them fought long and hard for their freedom. In the past women were just properties of
their husbands with no rights to do anything, no education and men had total control deciding
what was good and not good for them. Most were okay with their roles, and then along came
the feminist movement. Fast forward two centuries women of today make our own decisions
and live our own lives independent of the men who ruled our world’s centuries ago.
Women have been fighting to be recognized and have equal rights for centuries, the feminist
movement dates back as far as 1800’s. In 1848, the first women’s right convention is held in
Seneca, New York. After 2 days of discussion and debate the Declaration of Sentiments is
signed, by 68 women and 32 men. A set of 12 resolutions is adopted calling for equal
treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. The Sentiments
outlines grievances and sets the agenda for women’s rights movement. Not until 1920 do
During the 1920-1960’s various other groups are organized National Council of Negro
Women, Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first lesbian organization in the United States and
Planned Parenthood was established. These groups added fuel to the fire for the movement;
they represented women of different backgrounds and demonstrated that women were uniting
In the 1940’s, Rosie the Riveter, a fictional character immortalized by posters supporting
the war effort and wartime song of the same name, helped recruit more than two million
women in the workforce, the character is considered a feminist icon in the United States.
Woman took on male dominated trades during World War II; they were expected to return to
their everyday housework once men returned for the war. The conditions were harsh, and the
pay was not always equal with men earning up to $23.00 more dollars per week, more than
Despite how women were depicted on television in the 1950’s, as being content, and being
totally reliant financially and socially on their husbands the movement continued. Women
were no longer happy with their portrayal in society mainly due to the World War II, when
woman had to work. They wanted to be a part of society not just a housewife and mother.
In 1963 John F Kennedy appoints Eleanor Roosevelt the chairwomen of the Presidents
Commission of the Status of Women. The report documented discrimination against woman in
the especially in the workplace and made recommendations for improvement, including fair
The Feminine Mystique was published by Betty Friedan in 1963. The book described the
dissatisfaction felt by middle class American housewives with the narrow role society placed on
them. The book pushed the women’s right movement into action. In 1966 Betty Friedan also
founded the National Organization for Woman (NOW), which seeks to end sexual
A battle for woman that was started in 1916 was finally won, in 1973 in Roe v Wade the
Supreme Court establishes a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion. This issue is still being
fought in modern day politics and as a religious issue. Abortion issues will never resolve
because no matter how hard the government and activist groups try it is difficult to separate
The Women’s Right Movement and the Supreme Court continue to fight the same battles in
present day, pay discrimination, sexual harassment at work and abortion issues. Birth control
once thought to be disgraceful propaganda was allowed finally to be taught, mailed and used
by women. Today we wouldn’t even have worried about going to our doctor and asking for a
prescription for birth control, but in the 1960’s married woman had to fight for the right to
practice birth control. Women don’t even need a man to have a child; there are options
available to them adoption and sperm banks. Without the struggles of the past woman would
have no future, it is because of these pioneering women that we have the freedoms allowed to
us today.