By Alyssa Merceron

Period 3

Women’s Rights Organization, Introducing NOW

All started in the 1800’s, when women just finished up their movement for their right to vote and equality in education and in jobs.Feminism- 1895; to describe the theory of political, economic,

and social equality of men and women. They were the women who took action on this problem. Never were completely achieved.

Still known as a stereotype of women to keep a nice household, raise the kids, marriage and to do household chores.

WWII: After, many women needed more help to support themselves and their households and they needed more income so they needed to take on a job. WWII, opened up many more employment opportunities for women.

1960’s, 38% women were entered in the labor force.Many women were educated and excited to put their worth ethic

into professional jobs.

Background Of When It All Started….

Employers were very reluctant to invest in training women.Females were denied training because they were expected to

leave their jobs after a few years to start families. Some, denied women because they believed women should

be home taking care of children and their households, and that should be their only responsibility.

Women were under employed and not earning the correct amount of salaries for their abilities for their work ethics.

Men were paid more by .59 cents then women in 1963.1973, they were only paid .57 cents more than women.

Women grew frustrated and demanded equal pay.

Education & Employment

Black and white women joined together to fight the struggle of Civil Rights.

Worked to end racial discrimination.Sick of being the one expected to make coffee and clerical while men

made policy decisions.Women got smart and started applying the techniques from the civil

rights movement to create a new movement to address their own concerns.Congress debated the bill, someone wanted to add to outlaw

discrimination on the basis of sex, which went completely against what the women asked for.

The people did that to make the bill look pathetic and people would vote against it.

Both the bill and amendment passed, women find out the EEOC(Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), never took the woman's bill seriously.

Strength was gained………

Impact

Meeting in groups, comparing experiences.-Kitchens and living rooms where groups met.

Noticing the negative attitudes, sexism and comments directed to them.

Betty Friedan’s 1963 book, “The feminine Mystique.”

Huge influence in the woman, kept them going about discussing their lives and their roles in society.

Time to Organize

National Organization for Women: (NOW)Frustrated women who were sick of not being taken

seriously.“ To take action to bring American women into full

participation in the main stream of American society now.”

Started: 1,000 women; 4 years later; 15,000 women.Fought: Fair PayEqual job opportunitiesBalanced MarriagesSharing household/parenting responsibilitiesFalse image of women

NOW

1972, congress passed a prohibition against sex discrimination part of Higher Education Act.

Women entered law and medical school.

Finally able to admit to military academics to be trained officers.

Able to gain more support for the Women’s Movement.

Attitude Adjustment

Congress approved a passage of the Equal Rights Amendment,(ERA).

Protested by women, to make discrimination based on a persons sex, illegal.

Men were hostile to this movement which sometimes scornfully called the women, “Women’s Liberation,” or “Women’s Lib.”

1972

African American women felt as if racial discrimination was more important than the battling of the sexes discrimination.1974, NOW’s African American president said, ” Some black sisters are not sure that the feminist movement will meet their current needs.” –Aileen Hernadez.Also, many working class women felt not involved with the movement. They felt they were being encouraged to give up homemaking in order to take up unwanted paid labor.The Women’s Right Movement, (NOW) as well came a long way and changed the minds of many people, and gain a lot of power. It became one of the top several important strands of reform in the era of Activism.

African American Women

The End…..Roe v.s Wade:????