The Changing Role of Women and the Family

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Women at Work

After World War II, many women returned to traditional domestic roles, but a significant number continued to work outside the home. By the 1960s, more women entered the workforce due to economic necessity and personal aspirations. Jobs available to women were often low-paying and limited to fields such as teaching, nursing, and clerical work. Despite these limitations, women's participation in the workforce grew, laying the groundwork for future advancements.

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Betty Friedan - Some Key Points

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• Betty Friedan was a key figure in the women's movement, best known for her 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique.
• The book challenged the notion that women could only find fulfilment through homemaking and motherhood.
• Friedan argued that societal expectations limited women's potential and led to widespread dissatisfaction among housewives.
• Her work sparked widespread discussion and helped to galvanise the women's liberation movement.

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National Organisation for Women (NOW)

• Founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan and other activists, NOW aimed to promote equal rights for women.
• The organisation's goals included ending sex discrimination in the workplace, promoting reproductive rights, and achieving political equality.
• NOW used various tactics, including legal action, lobbying, and public demonstrations, to advance its agenda.
• It played a crucial role in raising awareness about women's issues and advocating for policy changes.

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Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

• The ERA was a proposed constitutional amendment designed to guarantee equal rights for women.
• Initially drafted in 1923, it gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s with support from NOW and other feminist groups.
• The ERA passed Congress in 1972 and was sent to the states for ratification, requiring approval from 38 states.
• Despite initial support, the ERA faced strong opposition and fell short of ratification by three states, leaving it unratified.

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Success of the Women's Movement

• The women's movement achieved significant successes, particularly in education and reproductive rights.
• Yale and Princeton Universities admitted women as undergraduate students for the first time in 1969, breaking long-standing gender barriers in higher education.
• These changes opened new opportunities for women, allowing them to pursue diverse careers and advanced degrees.
• The landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973 legalised abortion nationwide, recognising women's right to make decisions about their own bodies.
• This ruling was a major victory for reproductive rights activists and has had a lasting impact on women's health and autonomy.

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Poorer Women and the Limits of the Women's Movement

While the women's movement made substantial strides, poorer women often faced additional challenges and limitations. Many of the movement's achievements, such as access to higher education and professional careers, were more accessible to middle-class women. Poorer women continued to struggle with low-paying jobs, inadequate childcare, and limited access to healthcare. Additionally, issues such as race and class were sometimes overlooked by mainstream feminist organisations, which focused primarily on the concerns of white, middle-class women. This led to criticisms that the movement did not fully address the needs of all women, particularly those from marginalised communities.

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View of Traditionalists on the Women's Movement

Traditionalists often viewed the women's movement with skepticism or outright opposition. They believed that women's primary roles should be as wives and mothers, maintaining the home and caring for the family. Traditionalists argued that the push for equality and women's liberation undermined family values and societal stability. They feared that changes in women's roles would lead to increased divorce rates, the breakdown of the family unit, and moral decline. This perspective was particularly strong among conservative and religious groups, who sought to preserve traditional gender roles.

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Changes in Family Life

The 1950s and 60s saw significant changes in family life. The traditional nuclear family model, with a male breadwinner and a female homemaker, began to evolve. More women entered the workforce, leading to shifts in household dynamics and gender roles. Families became smaller, with fewer children, and there was a growing acceptance of diverse family structures. These changes reflected broader social transformations, including increased individualism and changing attitudes towards marriage and parenting.

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Divorce and Illegitimacy

Divorce rates began to rise in the 1960s, challenging the notion of lifelong marriage. Several factors contributed to this trend, including changing social norms, increased economic independence for women, and legal reforms that made divorce more accessible. The stigma associated with divorce lessened, allowing more individuals to leave unhappy or abusive marriages. At the same time, there was an increase in births outside of marriage, often referred to as illegitimacy. This shift was influenced by changing attitudes towards sex and relationships, as well as greater acceptance of single parenthood and non-traditional family arrangements.

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Points to Help Your Essay Preparation

Notes aside, there are certain questions that get asked on the exam, and knowing how to answer these questions specifically will greatly help you under exam conditions. Here are two questions that can be asked in the exam - along with a few key points on how you might answer them:

How Did the Nature of the Family Change in the US in the 1960s?

• More Working Women: More women started working outside the home, leading to changes in family roles and dynamics.
• Smaller Families: Families became smaller, with fewer children compared to previous generations.
• Diverse Family Structures: There was a growing acceptance of different family structures, such as single-parent families and blended families.
• Rise in Divorce Rates: Divorce rates increased, making divorce more socially acceptable and common.
• Changes in Parenting: Parenting styles began to shift, with more emphasis on children's independence and individuality.
• Economic Changes: Dual-income households became more common, changing the economic structure of many families.
• Suburban Living: Many families moved to the suburbs, changing the way families lived and interacted with their communities.
• Youth Culture: The influence of youth culture and the counterculture movement affected family relationships and values.

What Were the Successes and Failures of the Women's Movement in the US 1950s to 1980s?

Successes:

• Increased Workforce Participation: More women entered the workforce, gaining economic independence and opportunities.
• Higher Education Access: Women gained greater access to higher education, leading to more career opportunities.
• Legal Rights: Laws were passed to promote gender equality, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title IX in 1972.
• Reproductive Rights: The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973 legalised abortion, giving women more control over their reproductive health.
• Political Representation: More women became involved in politics, advocating for women's rights and equality.
• Changing Social Attitudes: The movement helped change societal attitudes towards women, promoting gender equality and challenging traditional gender roles.

Failures:

• Incomplete Ratification of ERA: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) failed to be ratified by enough states to become law.
• Economic Inequality: Despite progress, women continued to face wage gaps and economic inequality.
• Limited Impact on Poorer Women: The movement often focused on issues affecting middle-class women, sometimes overlooking the needs of poorer women and women of colour.
• Backlash: There was significant opposition to the women's movement from traditionalists and conservative groups, leading to a backlash against feminist goals.
• Ongoing Discrimination: Despite legal advances, discrimination and sexism persisted in many areas of society and the workplace.

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Key Terms

Betty Friedan: Author and activist whose book "The Feminine Mystique" sparked widespread discussion about women's roles and dissatisfaction with domestic life.

National Organisation for Women (NOW): A feminist organisation founded in 1966 that aimed to promote equal rights for women through legal action, lobbying, and public demonstrations.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): A proposed constitutional amendment designed to guarantee equal rights for women, which passed Congress in 1972 but fell short of state ratification.

Traditionalists: Individuals or groups who advocate for preserving traditional gender roles and family structures, often opposing feminist movements.

Divorce Rates: The frequency of divorces in a given population, which began to rise in the 1960s due to changing social norms and legal reforms.

Illegitimacy: The status of being born to parents who are not married, which became more common as societal attitudes towards single parenthood and non-traditional families evolved.

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Test Yourself Questions

1. What role did Betty Friedan play in the women's movement of the 1960s?

• She wrote "The Feminine Mystique," which challenged traditional notions of women's roles and helped galvanise the women's liberation movement.

2. What were the primary goals of the National Organisation for Women (NOW)?

• Ending sex discrimination in the workplace, promoting reproductive rights, and achieving political equality for women.

3. Why did the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) fail to become law?

• Despite initial support, it faced strong opposition and fell short of ratification by three states.

4. How did the women's movement impact education in the 1960s and 1970s?

• Yale and Princeton Universities admitted women as undergraduate students for the first time in 1969, breaking gender barriers in higher education.

5. What was the significance of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade?

• It legalised abortion nationwide, recognising women's right to make decisions about their own bodies and significantly advancing reproductive rights.

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