Dana Coleman Coleman #

Samantha Atzeni

Comp 110

4/10 /11

Today’s life is a lot more different for women than what is was in the past. Women of this

era have more freedom then they did in the past, and it is because the women who came

before them fought long and hard for their freedom. In the past women were just properties of

their husbands with no rights to do anything, no education and men had total control deciding

what was good and not good for them. Most were okay with their roles, and then along came

the feminist movement. Fast forward two centuries women of today make our own decisions

and live our own lives independent of the men who ruled our world’s centuries ago.

Women have been fighting to be recognized and have equal rights for centuries, the feminist

movement dates back as far as 1800’s. In 1848, the first women’s right convention is held in

Seneca, New York. After 2 days of discussion and debate the Declaration of Sentiments is

signed, by 68 women and 32 men. A set of 12 resolutions is adopted calling for equal

treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. The Sentiments

outlines grievances and sets the agenda for women’s rights movement. Not until 1920 do

women win the right to vote.

During the 1920-1960’s various other groups are organized National Council of Negro

Women, Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first lesbian organization in the United States and
Planned Parenthood was established. These groups added fuel to the fire for the movement;

they represented women of different backgrounds and demonstrated that women were uniting

in their fight for freedom and equal rights.

In the 1940’s, Rosie the Riveter, a fictional character immortalized by posters supporting

the war effort and wartime song of the same name, helped recruit more than two million

women in the workforce, the character is considered a feminist icon in the United States.

Woman took on male dominated trades during World War II; they were expected to return to

their everyday housework once men returned for the war. The conditions were harsh, and the

pay was not always equal with men earning up to $23.00 more dollars per week, more than

woman for the same job.

Despite how women were depicted on television in the 1950’s, as being content, and being

totally reliant financially and socially on their husbands the movement continued. Women

were no longer happy with their portrayal in society mainly due to the World War II, when

woman had to work. They wanted to be a part of society not just a housewife and mother.

In 1963 John F Kennedy appoints Eleanor Roosevelt the chairwomen of the Presidents

Commission of the Status of Women. The report documented discrimination against woman in

the especially in the workplace and made recommendations for improvement, including fair

hiring practices, paid maternity leave and affordable child care.

The Feminine Mystique was published by Betty Friedan in 1963. The book described the

dissatisfaction felt by middle class American housewives with the narrow role society placed on

them. The book pushed the women’s right movement into action. In 1966 Betty Friedan also
founded the National Organization for Woman (NOW), which seeks to end sexual

discrimination in the workplace, by means of lobbying, litigation and public demonstrations.

A battle for woman that was started in 1916 was finally won, in 1973 in Roe v Wade the

Supreme Court establishes a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion. This issue is still being

fought in modern day politics and as a religious issue. Abortion issues will never resolve

because no matter how hard the government and activist groups try it is difficult to separate

politics and religion.

The Women’s Right Movement and the Supreme Court continue to fight the same battles in

present day, pay discrimination, sexual harassment at work and abortion issues. Birth control

once thought to be disgraceful propaganda was allowed finally to be taught, mailed and used

by women. Today we wouldn’t even have worried about going to our doctor and asking for a

prescription for birth control, but in the 1960’s married woman had to fight for the right to

practice birth control. Women don’t even need a man to have a child; there are options

available to them adoption and sperm banks. Without the struggles of the past woman would

have no future, it is because of these pioneering women that we have the freedoms allowed to

us today.