Women in Australian society before the 1960s were deemed as inferior to the superior men, patriarchy had created an image that women were to “devote their lives to the needs of their husbands and offsprings”(Unnamed author, quote from Skwirk). However, this conventional ideology has rapidly progressed amid the late sixties when the second wave of women liberation occurred. Women came to an acknowledgement that women’s oppression was an after-effect of society in itself rather than unjust laws, women began to address these issues through protests in form of marches, literature and civil disobedience. While investigating these endeavours, for example, the contraceptive pill, the role of women in the workplace and the publication of the Female
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Although women were beginning to be more prominent in the workforce, they still confronted many barriers because of traditional ideologies that stereotyped their abilities. In 1963 women were facing large pay gaps; women made 59 cents for every dollar men made, they were discriminated because workplaces weren’t willing to employ women because didn’t meet the permanent and reliable criteria. The second wave of feminism addressed these issues by protesting and forming groups such as the Women’s Electoral Lobby in 1972. WEL’s “mission is to create a society where women’s participation and potential are unrestricted, acknowledged and respected and where women and men share equally in society’s responsibilities and rewards” (Unnamed author, undated source). WEL was a political lobby group and publicised these issues through written media materials and public meetings, their efforts played a significant role in important policy and legislative changes such as the passing of Equal Pay Legislation in 1972, which stated women and men were to receive equivalent pay, regardless of what job they performed, Federal Childcare Act which involves government funding of childcare and the drafting and implementation of state Anti-discrimination and Federal Sex Discrimination legislation. The changes in Australian culture since the 1950s have been profound. …show more content…
Greer played a significant role in the liberation movement because she exposed and publicised issues that were affecting women and brought it out to the public sphere for discussion. The Female Eunuch addresses issues such as domestic violence and sexual harassment, confronting topics which were usually private matters and weren’t discussed in general society. However, her publication empowered women to discuss these issues through protests such as the Reclaim The Night protests in 1978. RTN was a protest in response to police’s lack of understanding when women were told to not to go out at night to avoid sexual harassment, women were angered with the increasing amount of male violence, to respond women decided to march the streets at night with flaming torches to ‘to take back the night’. Protesting creates social awareness and RTN effectively raised awareness as the Australian Government authorises the Sex Discrimination Act in 1984. Although sexual harassment still remains to be a problem in Australia, The Female Eunuch and Reclaim the Night are examples that greatly influence feminist activists today and will continue to influence feminists for many years to
Although women were beginning to be more prominent in the workforce, they still confronted many barriers because of traditional ideologies that stereotyped their abilities. In 1963 women were facing large pay gaps; women made 59 cents for every dollar men made, they were discriminated because workplaces weren’t willing to employ women because didn’t meet the permanent and reliable criteria. The second wave of feminism addressed these issues by protesting and forming groups such as the Women’s Electoral Lobby in 1972. WEL’s “mission is to create a society where women’s participation and potential are unrestricted, acknowledged and respected and where women and men share equally in society’s responsibilities and rewards” (Unnamed author, undated source). WEL was a political lobby group and publicised these issues through written media materials and public meetings, their efforts played a significant role in important policy and legislative changes such as the passing of Equal Pay Legislation in 1972, which stated women and men were to receive equivalent pay, regardless of what job they performed, Federal Childcare Act which involves government funding of childcare and the drafting and implementation of state Anti-discrimination and Federal Sex Discrimination legislation. The changes in Australian culture since the 1950s have been profound. …show more content…
Greer played a significant role in the liberation movement because she exposed and publicised issues that were affecting women and brought it out to the public sphere for discussion. The Female Eunuch addresses issues such as domestic violence and sexual harassment, confronting topics which were usually private matters and weren’t discussed in general society. However, her publication empowered women to discuss these issues through protests such as the Reclaim The Night protests in 1978. RTN was a protest in response to police’s lack of understanding when women were told to not to go out at night to avoid sexual harassment, women were angered with the increasing amount of male violence, to respond women decided to march the streets at night with flaming torches to ‘to take back the night’. Protesting creates social awareness and RTN effectively raised awareness as the Australian Government authorises the Sex Discrimination Act in 1984. Although sexual harassment still remains to be a problem in Australia, The Female Eunuch and Reclaim the Night are examples that greatly influence feminist activists today and will continue to influence feminists for many years to