Social and Political Conditions That Sparked the Movement
During the 1960s, the Women’s Liberation Movement arose because of the social, economic, and political circumstances of the time. Women were unhappy with their restricted opportunities, the segregation they faced in the work environment, and their failure to get to schooling and contraception. Barnes and Bowles (2015) contend that the Civil Rights Movement likewise impacted the Women’s Liberation Movement by motivating them to request their rights and equality. The Women’s Liberation Movement pushed for equivalent compensation, reproductive rights, and a change in orientation standards and routine jobs for women.
Key Accomplishments of the Women’s Liberation Movement
The mission achieved a few objectives, such as enacting the Equal Pay Act in 1963 and creating the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966. NOW advanced orientation fairness through the backing, legitimate activity, and instructional drives (Barnes & Bowles, 2015). The development likewise focused on work separation, lewd behavior, and aggressive behavior at home. The Women’s Liberation Movement aimed to give women opportunities similar to men’s in all aspects of life, testing cultural suspicions about gender roles in the workplace and at home. The development additionally upheld expanded female participation in decision-making to address the underrepresentation of women in administrative and legislative roles.
The U.S. Government’s Response to the Movement
The American public’s evolving views on gender roles and women’s rights significantly impacted the government’s response. According to Friedman (2018), the movement gained traction in the media through books like Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique“ and other articles. However, not everyone favored the movement; some saw it as a threat to societal norms and traditional family values.
Ongoing Issues Stemming from the Struggle for Women’s Rights
The Women’s Liberation Movement cleared the path for subsequent generations of women to fight for their rights and advance greater gender equality despite opposition (Friedman, 2018). The gender wage gap persists today. Females still receive lower payments than males for the same kind of work, and the disadvantages for females of colour are more significant. Although the movement made significant progress, the problem must be fully solved.
Summary
In conclusion, the Women’s Liberation Movement was fundamental in addressing the political, social, and economic challenges that women faced during the 1960s. Various objectives were accomplished, and consideration was given. While progress has been made, more should ultimately be done to achieve gender equality. Alongside the orientation pay hole, different worries the Women’s Liberation Movement raised, such as reproductive rights and access to medical care and training, are still significant today.
References
Barnes, L. D., & Bowles, M. D. (2015). The American Story: Perspectives and Encounters from 1877. Bridgepoint Education.
Friedman, E. (2018). Women’s human rights: The emergence of a movement. In Women’s Rights Human Rights (pp. 18-35). Routledge.