The Feminist Movement
Successes and Failures
Civil Rights Act of 1964
–Outlawed job discrimination on the basis of
race, color, religion, national origin, AND
GENDER
Women in the
US Workforce
Equal Pay Act
– Outlawed paying men more than women for the same job
Wages: Women vs Men
NOW
National Organization for Women
Organized by Betty Friedan and later run by
Gloria Steinem
Pushed for a Constitutional Amendment for
women’s rights…the ERA
Equal Rights Amendment
Roe vs. Wade - 1973
• Supreme Court rules that state’s cannot deny women
the right to an abortion in the first 3 month of
pregnancy.
• After three months the states have the rights to
regulate abortion
Educational Amendments - TITLE IX
– Educational Rights for Women.
– Federally funded schools can not discriminate
against women, must offer equal opportunities in:
• Admissions
• Course Offerings
• Sports
ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)
– Constitutional Amendment for equal rights for women.
Strong Opposition from “Stop-ERA” group.
Led by Phyllis Schlafly
Why?
Equal Rights Amendment
• Didn’t want to lose traditional rights:
– Rights to alimony
– Right to single gender colleges
– Afraid of being included in Drafts
– May eliminate special protections in workforce
Also
– Thought it gave Federal Govt too much power over state
rights.
Equal Rights Amendment
Constitutional Amendment for equal rights
for women.
Strong Opposition from “Stop-ERA” group.
Led by Phyllis Schlafly
Why?
Equal Rights Amendment
10 years of political debate and “fighting”
Needs 38 states to ratify to become a
Constitutional Amendment
In 1982 it finally comes to a vote.
….FAILS
Title IX
Educational Rights for Women
Federally funded schools
can not discriminate against
women
• Admissions
• Course Offerings
• Sports
Roe vs. Wade - 1973
• Supreme Court rules that state’s cannot
deny women the right to an abortion in the
first 3 month of pregnancy.
• After three months the states have the
rights to regulate abortion
Mexicans
Economic problems bring
Puerto Ricans to NY
Cubans
WWII brings opportunity
for farming in southwest
Puerto
Ricans
Latinos Migrate
to America
Communism (Castro)
brings Cubans to Miami
César Chávez
Fought for better working conditions
UNITED FARM WORKERS (UFW)
Boycotted grapes in California
- 17 million citizens participated Four years later they received higher wages and
better working conditions
The Youth Movement
• SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
– “New Left” - Protests the Vietnam War
– Starts on College Campuses with Baby Boomers
• Port Huron Statement
– Didn’t like Big Government / Corporations
– Identifies problems with Racism and Cold War
• Free Speech Movement
– Starts at University of California at Berkeley
– Admin wouldn’t let student distribute literature
– Students conduct huge sit-ins for days – shut
down school….very successful
COUNTERCULTURE - HIPPIES
– Values: Peace, Tolerance, Close to Nature
– Lived in Communes: share everything
– Fashion: defiance through long hair and beards
recycled clothes to protest consumerism
colors to reject the “grey” 50s
– Music: folk music and rock ‘n’ roll (electric guitar)
Lyrics talked about issues
Woodstock festival (festival of love)
– Death of Hippies: crime in communes
Glamour of drug use wore off: overdoses
Youth got older (matured)