The Feminist Movement

Starting the decade of the 1960s, American women still enjoyed far less opportunities than men in every economic and social aspect; moreover, such disparity was being protected by state, and even federal, laws (Bodenner). Gender inequality brought a great social unrest that culminated on the feminist movement’s efforts to ratify an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex" (“Equal Rights Amendment (1972)”). That was the most descriptive sentence on what the ERA proposed to ratify in the U.S. Constitution in order to really achieve gender equality. Females had minimal political representation, almost no educational access, very low earnings, and were deprived of their own corporal liberties (Bodenner). These injustices were mostly based on the fact that women were seen as irrational, irresponsible and dependent of men in many aspects such as the economic one (Bodenner). These prejudices and old-fashioned ways of thinking not only interfered with the recognition of women’s basic and human rights, but also undermined the nation’s commitment to human dignity, freedom and democracy (“Executive Order Establishing the President's Commission on the Status of Women (1961)”). It is thus fair and humane to affirm that the Equal Rights Amendment had to be added to the Constitution.

The ERA’s ratification was the correct way to proceed for America as a righteous and free nation. Laws in a country should not be gender-addressed; they should instead treat citizens as individuals (Bodenner). Wilma Scott Heide wrote, “One must wonder if the women in European and other countries are somehow biologically different from U.S. women.” Conveying with such quote that the problem of women’s rights was not a globalized one that concerned humanity; instead, it was a domestic one that left much to say about America. “What is different is the laws, practices and behavioral attitudes outside United States,” she completed. The fact that gender equality was doubted only in the U.S. strongly suggested that there was a serious social problem within the country. It is a birthright, as humans, for women to share the same freedom that men do. If women wished to become homemakers it was fine, but what mattered was they had the right to choose (Bodenner). Women have a human right to be equally treated to men and to enjoy their freedom with liberty, bounded to the same laws as men.

The feminist movement was significantly favored by the both World Wars, especially from World War II. The full participation on the Second World War meant that many job opportunities were left open due to the large migration of men to fight the war (Bodenner). It allowed women to have a taste of what working was like and to prove the nation that they were actually able to perform even factory works. The post-war years (1950s) obviously concluded on a strong desire by women to obtain careers and opportunities outside their homes. In a way to reach such independence and be able to achieve the righteous freedom that women deserved, feminists even established that they should be addressed as “Ms.” instead of “Mrs.” or “Miss” (Bodenner). The term “Ms.” suggests that women can be addressed without being referenced to a man’s last name, meaning that they were independent and actually were someone without a man.
The feminist waves transformed the United States in many aspects. The first wave focused mainly on the right to vote for women, which conveys a series of consequences (Bodenner). Once the right to vote was achieved, women could exhort real change. Presidents would now have to race offering something that would secure women’s vote; in a few words, women had a chance to finally ask for something as they had their votes to offer in change. Having the right to vote would also result on women taking more places in the White House, because they would now be political assets. The second wave had many distinct effects on women’s sexuality, workplace, education, reproductive liberties, family and many more inequalities. The Second World War allowed women to experience the working habits and testing their own abilities, realizing that they could work; which opposed to what men had always told them. As a direct effect of the second wave, women received many benefits enhancing their working conditions. The Equal Pay Right, for instance, guaranteed women to receive the same payment as men did for the same work (Bodenner). The next significant effect came with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which basically outlawed discrimination in any aspect and for any reason. Furthermore, the Civil Rights Act addressed discrimination in the private sector and forced many companies to change their policies and behaviors, benefiting women’s job opportunities immensely. Many other acts were passed such as the Education Amendments of 1972 which prohibited discrimination in the education system; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act which banned discrimination to creditors (Bodenner). The Sexual Revolution, with the introduction of “the pill,” significantly increased sex in pre-marital relationships (Bodenner). This resulted in a rising of sexual activity among women who stopped caring over men’s claims that women couldn’t have sex outside marriage. Along with the rise in sexual activities came the increase and legalization of abortions. Such issue ended in the famous case of Roe v. Wade, which ended in the full gain of reproductive rights by women (Bodenner).

Some women remained conservative over the topic as they strongly believed that the ratification of the ERA would unleash a chain reaction of drastic social and economic changes. They believed that women’s place was not beside men but instead behind them in order to keep them up and taking care of familiar matters. It was also claimed that the ratification of the ERA would empower an already marked as intrusive government to undermine state customs and confuse everyone (Bodenner). Lastly, it was said that ERA would only harm women who have made it through outside-home works, because it would sweep away protective laws over them (Bodenner). In a few words, they were afraid of not knowing how change would backfire.

Works Cited

Bodenner, Chris. “Feminist Movement.” Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Learning, 9 Apr. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. .

“Equal Rights Amendment (1972).” Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Learning,Web. 3 Apr. 2016. .

“Gloria Steinem Addresses Gender Myths before the Senate (1970) (Excerpts).” Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Learning, Web. 3 Apr. 2016. .

“Executive Order Establishing the President's Commission on the Status of Women (1961).” Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Learning, Web. 3 Apr. 2016. .