Essay On Women's Liberation Movement

The Women’s Liberation Movement, beginning in the 1960s and lasting until the 70s, was a social struggle that aimed to enforce gender equality and remove sexual discrimination towards women. In the past, women were only thought to be useful for raising a family and fulfilling the duties of a housewife, while also staying obedient to their entitled husbands. This feminist movement was mostly about establishing equality in the workplace, such as equal job opportunities and fair paychecks for both genders, but also dealt with making the voice of women stronger. With the work done by the National Organization for Women (NOW), unequal pay became prohibited and oral contraceptives were introduced, changing the world’s perception of women. The term “housewife” is defined as a married woman whose main duty is to care for her family and manage the responsibilities of the house. This term was shaped by magazines and other forms of media, and by the 1960s, was what defined the expected role of women. Before the Women’s Liberation Movement had occurred, women had very little variety and options …show more content…
Betty Friedan is the most well-known feminist protestor from the movement. In 1962, Friedan wrote a book titled The Feminine Mystique, which addressed the frustrations that herself and many other middle-class American women felt. Friedan’s book drew attention to the sex discrimination that was going on in the workforce, and also called out media and magazines for convincing women to focus solely on being feminine- “the feminine mystique says that the highest value and the only commitment for women is the fulfillment of their own femininity.” Selling over 3 million copies in 6 months, Friedan’s bestseller inspired countless women to take part in the equality protests. Many people conclude that The Feminist Mystique is what sparked the “second- wave” of the Feminist