The role of women in history.

1. The Women’s Movement
1960-1973

2. Myth’s about the Women’s
Movement
Myth- Women burned
their bras
Truth- Women protested
against anything that
symbolized them as
beauty objects.
They created “Freedom
Trash Cans” and threw
away bras, girdles, hair
curlers, Playboy and
Cosmo magazines.

3. Miss America
A major protest was staged in 1968 at the
Miss America Beauty Pageant because it
promoted “physical attractiveness” and
charm as the primary measures of a
woman’s worth” (Sawhney 2004).
Women especially objected to the
swimsuit portion of the contest

4. The Women’s Lib Movement
Many women believed they had been
denied some basic rights and were
trapped in the house.
The women that were employed believed
they were discriminated against on the job
because of their sex.

5. Women Speak Out!
In 1963, Betty Friedan, wrote the Feminine
Mystique, which had a huge impact on women in
the 1960s.
Her book described how some women had
become frustrated because they were expected
to find fulfillment through the achievements of
their husbands and children.
Since the Civil Rights Movement was going on
at the same time, women used this opportunity
to speak out for women’s rights.

6. Health Issues
 Roe v Wade did not go into effect until
1973. Throughout the 60s, many women
went underground to secret clinics and
had abortions which was very dangerous.
 A huge achievement for women was when
the Food and Drug Administration
approved birth control pills.

7. Women in the Workplace
 Many women were reluctant to leave home because she
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felt guilty leaving the children.
According to Margaret Sanger, society believed that
women should stay home and take care of the children.
The number of working women did increase in the
1960s.
In the 1960s, there were no women bus drivers, welders,
firefighters, news anchors, CEOs, or Supreme Court
Justices.
Women made only 60% of what a man made, or 70
cents for every dollar a man made
They were often denied credit by banks to start a
business.

9. NOW
In 1966, the National Organization for Women was
formed.
The purpose was to seek equality for men and women
within the government, employment, labor unions, civic
and political organizations. Most of the members were
young women college graduates. These women also
had antiwar view and were in favor of Civil Rights.
There was also a group of women who belonged to
NOW that were more radical who challenged the male
dominated power structure and who fought against
women being seen as sex symbols. They also focused
on issues involving violence, reproductive rights, and
women and housework.
NOW during the sixties failed to include minority groups,
and the working class.

10. A little known fact
During the 1960s, 13 women were
secretly trained by NASA in a secret lab
as astronauts, along with seven men. The
program was called the “Mercury 13,” and
it was scrapped because it lacked political
support.

11. In Conclusion
Women’s Rights did
not stop in the 1960s.
During the 70s, the
ERA was proposed,
and even though it
was defeated in the
1982, women have
made great strides.

12. Timeline of Events leading up to the
Women’s Movement of the 1960s
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1769- the husband and wife are one person
1776- Abigail Adams “Remember the Ladies”
1777- all states adopt laws to take away a women’s right to vote
1778- Deborah Sampson disguises herself as a man to fight on the
battlefield in the American Revolution
1839- Mississippi grants women the right to hold property with
their husband’s permission
1848- Seneca Falls- Declaration of Sentiments
1850- The first Women’s Rights Convention (Mass.)
1869- first Woman suffrage law is passed in Wyoming, and the
American Woman Suffrage Association is formed
1870- women are excluded from the right to vote by the 15th
amendment
1873- Bradwell v Illinois, Supreme Court rules that a state can deny
a married woman from practicing law

13. 1879- Belva Lockwood with the help of Congressional legislation is
the first women to try a case before the Supreme Court
 1890- Wyoming gives women the right to vote in all elections,
National Americana Women’s Suffrage Association is
formed
 1893- Colorado is the first state to pass an amendment giving
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women the right to vote
1896- The National Women’s Trade Union League seeks to
improve wages for women
1900- married women gain control over their property and earnings
1908- Muller v Oregon uphold 10 hr workday for women
1916- Margaret Sanger opens up the first U.S. birth control clinic
1920- Women receive federal suffrage with the 19th amendment
1923- National Women’ Party proposes Constitutional Amendment, men
and women shall be equal
1932- National Recovery Act forbids more than one family member from
having a government job
1938- the fair Labor Standard Act establishes minimum wage for everyone
regardless of sex
1947- Fay v New York ruled women were equally qualified to serve on
juries as men, but have an exemption if they choose

14.  1960- The Food and Drug Act approves birth control
 1961- Kennedy establishes President’s Commission
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on the Status of Women
Betty Friedan publishes the Feminine Mystique
1963- Congress passes Equal Pay Act
1964- Title VII of Civil Rights Act passed (no
discrimination with job opportunities regardless of sex,
religion, race or color)
1965- Weeks v Southern Bell opens up jobs previously held by
women
Griswold v Connecticut overturn state laws prohibiting the
prescription use of contraceptives by married couples
1968- Executive Order 11246 prohibits sex discrimination by
government contractors and requires affirmative action plans
for hiring women
The EEOC rules that sex segregated help wanted ads in
newspapers are illegal
1969- California becomes first state to adopt “no fault “ divorce laws
1971- Ms. Magazine is published, 300,000 copies sold in 8 days
The ERA amendment passes Congress and is sent to states for
ratification, which died in 1982
1972- Title IX bans discrimination in schools
1973- Supreme Court ruled in Roe v Wade that a woman has the right to a safe
legal abortion