The best ways to promote Women's Rights during this period was through the National Organization of Women (NOW) and Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) assertively intervening. NOW showed a great way of intervention because they assertively lobbied congress to get laws passed and more equality for women. They successfully were able to be the voice for women afraid to speak out against inequality. One act that they really pushed for was the Equal Rights Amendment, which stated "Equality of rights under the law shall not to be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Once women began fighting for this equality, momentum began to build and women's rights became the debate throughout the 1960's and 1970's. "Gradually, Americans came to accept some of the basic goals of the Sixties feminists: equal pay for equal work, an end to domestic violence, curtailment of severe limits on women in managerial jobs, an end to sexual harassment, and sharing of responsibility for housework and child rearing." -Kenneth T. Walsh author of The 1960s: A Decade of Change for Women.
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Above is NOW peacefully protesting in front of the White House for ERA and Abortion Laws and revision of other laws.
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In the 1960's equality for women was nonexistent socially, economically, and politicaly because no one had successfully intervened at this time to promote the cause.
Women were just not equal to men in every day society. They were constantly objectified whether it was through advertisements or snarky comments about staying in the kitchen. As you can see in the (left) picture a women is being punished by a man. Suggesting that he is above or better than her and has the right to abuse her because she is a woman and isn't doing what he wants. This captures the idea in the 60's that men could treat woman how they chose when they stepped out of line. But if America is the "land of opportunity" then shouldn't opportunities be available for everyone?
Eleanor Roosevelt was a true leader in politics despite her gender. At a younger point in her life when asked about the differences between America's national and state governments she replied " I never realized that there were any differences to explain." But over time while being the first lady she learned more and more about politics. Eleanor joined League of Women Voters in 1920. She was a influential part to the New Deal Legislation and saving the country from the depression. Due to her role in government President Harry Truman chose her to be the head of United Nations Human Rights in 1945. She also was an instrumental part in drafting the Declaration of Human Rights. Through her playing a larger role in politics and getting involved with organizations that supported women she influenced women to get more involved as well.
Historical Development
In these 5 specific points in history women continuously formed groups to show society that women were equal to men in all aspects of life. Each small step lead to the grand leap in the 1960s for Women's Rights.
America as a World PowerWomen have slowly been getting more rights through assertive intervention since the Spanish American War. In this war the United States was ill prepared for medical emergencies that would occur. In order to help all the wounded, females were trained as nurses for temporary military service. Nursing schools opened- due to the influence and voice women had- to train them and by 1899 3,000 trained nurses graduated from these schools and 1,563 of them became contracted nurses that served the Army and Naval hospitals. This group was known as The Society of Spanish-American War Nurses, making the Spanish American War to be the first war in U.S. history to contract female nurses for war. This was a break through for women's rights showing men that women could be more than secretaries or mothers but help the country especially in a time of need. Also this shows that the intervention of an organization (Society of Spanish-American War Nurses) was the best way to promote this cause.
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Progressive EraAfter the Spanish American War the country's spirits are high and momentum is generated for women. During the Progressive Era, a new movement swept the country, Settlement Houses. Settlement houses were residential community centers in urban industrial districts; middle-class young people lived in these settlements to work with the poor residents in the house's neighborhood. Many of the founders and residents of these houses were women. One of the most famous houses was Hull House founded in Chicago, IL by Jane Addams. Many great leaders were at the Hull house alone like Florence Kelley, Julia Lathrop, Grace Abbott, Edith Abbott, and Alice Hamilton. Kelley became the first factory inspector in Illinois then she was invited to be the head of the National Consumers' League. In 1912 she was the first woman to lead a federal agency, The Children's Bureau. Also Hamilton took her medical degree and was a pioneer in the field of occupational health.
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World War OneWomen have begun to make a name for themselves in society when World War I begins. Women were eager to help with the war efforts so roughly 11,000 women served in the Navy as radio operators, electricians, pharmacists, chemists, and photographers. There were about 20,000 Army Nurses creating the Army Nursing Corp. These women joining the military for the second time enforced that women were just as capable as doing jobs that were once perceived as "manly men" jobs. The corporation voiced for these women to join the military showing that women in a group is the best way to gain more equal opportunities for women. These women were thrilled about this opportunity to establish themselves as equal in society and the workforce through their hard work and dedication. Julia Catherine Stimson voiced her opinion in a letter to her parents. "People are being wonderful and are rallying around us splendidly. But it is all wonderful beyond belief. I just wish I had the words to express what I think about this opportunity."
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Roaring 20'sAfter much support from women in World War I they women were advocating heavily for the right to vote because they had just shown how equal they were to men. The country was spilt pretty evenly on the 19th amendment, which will make women voting in all state and national elections constitutional. August 18, 1920, 35 out of the required 36 had ratified the amendment and Tennessee was voting. They had voted twice already and the board was split 48 to 48 both times and they were going to vote once more before moving on. 28-year-old republican, Harry T. Burn, had already voted "Nay" previously. About a month before the 3rd vote he received a letter from his mom telling him how she was in support of the Women's Suffrage movement. When he went to vote for the third time he thought of his mother and changed his vote to "Aye." And with that one vote, American women were enfranchised. When Burn speaks of it he says, "I knew that a mother's advice is always safest for a boy to follow and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification."
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Depression and New DealAt this point in history the economy had just taken a turn for the worst. The Great Depression has begun and women's roles started to change. While men's employment rates declined during the period, women's employment rates actually rose. In 1930, about 10.5 million women worked outside the home showing men women were equal when providing for their families. New Deal Programs like Federal Emergency Relief Administration hired women to produce such goods as canned foods, clothes, and mattresses for distribution to needy families. This organization was one of the few groups to voice women's rights in this tight economy. Women around the nation did become politically and economically active because of the pressures of the time. Frances Perkins became the first female member of a presidential cabinet when she assumed the post of Secretary of Labor in 1933. Eleanor Roosevelt fought the public policies when it came to women on several fronts. Mary McLeod Bethune was appointed head of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration.
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