 After
women won the passage of the 19th
Amendment in 1920, the organized
movement declined
 Beginning in the 1950s more women
began joining workforce
 By 1963 nearly 1/3 of American workers
were women
 Women only earned 60% of what men
earned (1960s)
 President
JFK orders an inquiry on
position of women in society
 Employers paid women less & promoted
them less often
 Popular Idea in 1950s: Women were
happiest as wives, mothers, &
homemakers
 Average marriage = 20 yrs. (1950s); most
women left jobs after they married
How
she got involved?
• WWII Journalist – promptly fired after
applying for maternity leave
Wrote
The Feminine Mystique
• Conclusions illustrated women felt
trapped by domestic life
• Book sparked a national debate about
the roles & rights of women
Belief
in the social, political, and
economic equality of the sexes
Rejects patriarchy
• A system based on sexual hierarchy
with men at the top & women at the
bottom
 In
1964, “sex” was added to race, creed, color,
and national origin as a prohibited reason for
discrimination in employment (Title VII).
 Unfortunately, not
a lot changed right away
National
Organization for Women
(1966)
• Fought gender discrimination in
the workplace, schools, & justice
system
• Advocated for child care centers
• Achieve abortion rights
 Banned
discrimination in
education including
admissions, athletics,
and faculty hiring.
 Universities
had to
have about the same
number of male &
female funded sports
 Many male sports cut
“Feminism is doomed…because it [attempts] to repeal
and restructure human nature.” “Women have babies
and men provide support. If you don’t like the way we’re
made you’ve got to take it up with God.”
1960
one-third of Mexican
American families lived below
the poverty line
2 times more unemployed
80% worked in low-paying,
unskilled jobs such as farm
labor
75% dropped out of high
school
Helped
form the National Farm
Workers Association
• Union of Mexican American farm
workers
• Fought for higher wages & better
working conditions
 Nonviolent
march & boycott lasting 5
years
 Chavez led a 250 mile march to
Sacramento
 As the march passed through towns, more
people joined – 5,000
 Began spreading their message at
grocery stores, urging shoppers to not
buy California grapes
 Strike led to a settlement with the union
1960s Decade:
• Most states outlawed homosexuality
• Cities performed “sweeps” to rid
neighborhoods, parks, bars, and beaches of
gays
• Wearing opposite gender clothes was outlawed
• Bars catering to homosexuals could be shut
down; customers arrested and exposed in
papers
• Could be fired if suspected of being gay
• Many forced to lead double lives…hence the
closet
Stonewall
Riots, June 28, 1969
Occurred at Stonewall Inn – bar
known for attracting gay & lesbian
crowds (only one allowing dancing)
Fight broke out between bar goers &
police during a raid…
Why the raid?
• At this time, it was illegal in most states to
be homosexual and dress accordingly
 Marks
the first time
when people in a
homosexual
community fought
back against
authorities
 Considered to spark
the beginning of the
Gay Rights Movement
 Gay
Liberation Front
• Protest for gay rights
as well as other
human rights
initiatives
• Wanted places
where gays &
lesbians could be
open about sexual
orientation without
fear of being
arrested
First
openly gay
politician elected to San
Francisco Board of
Supervisors
Campaigned for
Individual Rights
including Gay Rights
Assassinated in 1978
1973
APA removes
homosexuality from mental
disorder list – “A pathological
hidden fear of opposite sex
caused by traumatic parent-child
relationships.”
1982 Wisconsin becomes first
state to outlaw discrimination
1993 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – now
a thing of the past