Reasons for the Emergence of Feminist Movements
- After World War II, women who had worked in wartime industries were pushed back into domestic roles, sparking discontent and a desire for equality.
- The rise of education, media, and urbanization gave women greater awareness of their unequal social, political, and economic positions.
- Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, women in the Americas began organizing to challenge gender discrimination and demand legal reform.
- In the United States, the publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963) exposed the frustration of educated women confined to the home.
- In Latin America, women’s activism was shaped by both dictatorships and liberation theology, where they fought for democracy, human rights, and social justice.
The Feminine Mystique (1963)
Background and Causes
- After World War II, many women in the United States were encouraged to return to domestic life, while men resumed public and professional roles.
- The 1950s idealized the suburban housewife, promoting the idea that a woman’s fulfillment came from marriage, motherhood, and home care.
- Despite material comfort, many educated women felt unfulfilled and isolated, struggling with what author Betty Friedan called “the problem that has no name.”
- Friedan, a journalist and college graduate, surveyed her classmates from Smith College and found widespread dissatisfaction among women who had given up careers for family life.
Publication and Main Ideas
- Published in 1963, The Feminine Mystique challenged the belief that women were naturally satisfied by domestic life.
- Friedan argued that society, education, and the media had trapped women in a cycle of dependence and passivity, discouraging ambition and individuality.
- She called for greater access to education, careers, and personal growth, arguing that women must define themselves beyond their husbands and children.
- The book became a bestseller and sparked public debate, inspiring thousands of women to question traditional gender roles and pursue equality.
Impact and Legacy
- The Feminine Mystique helped launch second-wave feminism, which focused on workplace equality, reproductive rights, and social liberation.
- In 1966, Friedan co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW) to push for legal and political reforms such as equal pay and childcare access.
- The book led to policy discussions on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964), which banned gender discrimination in employment.
- Critics noted that Friedan’s focus was largely on white, middle-class women, but the book still opened the door for later, more inclusive feminist movements.
Definition
Second-wave feminism
- The feminist movement of the 1960s–1980s that fought for equality in work, education, and social life beyond voting rights.
Nature, Impact, and Key Achievements of Feminist Movements
United States and Canada
- The National Organization for Women (NOW), founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan and others, pushed for equal pay, workplace rights, and reproductive freedom.
- Feminists campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and celebrated the Roe v. Wade (1973) Supreme Court decision, which legalized abortion.
- Women’s studies programs emerged in universities, and feminist writers (Gloria Steinem, Audre Lorde) redefined gender and identity in literature and politics.
- In Canada, the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1970) investigated inequality, leading to major reforms in employment and maternity rights.
Latin America
