Women's Liberation Movements: Seeking Equal Rights, Freedom, & Opportunities - Essay Sample

Introduction

Women's rights movement also referred to as liberation movements, were diverse social movements largely experienced in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Notably, the primary objectives if the liberation movements were to seek equal rights, freedom, and multiple opportunities for women. Moreover, the movements not only coincide and forms part of the feminism movements. While the first-ever feminism movement of the 19th and 20th-century focus on women's civil rights, including voting rights, second-wave feminism had a wider scope encompassing all women's experiences in the society, including workforce-related issues, politics, sexuality, and family. Therefore, through the incorporation of significant feminist historical evidence, the paper aims to analyze how second-wave feminism influenced the American perception of women in the workforce setting and the impacts of the movement in the contemporary society.

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Historical Context in Which Second Wave Feminism Emerged

The term second-wave feminism has been historically used to refer to radical feminist movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The activities of the second wave movement are perceived as a continuation of the first feminism movement. The period was characterized by a fierce competition called Miss American Pageants of 1968 and 1969 in which women were presented as cattle. Much emphasis was placed on women to shed insight on how they express themselves, look, wear, and reasoning in society. Consequently, the American feminist and other women movements in other countries become angry and staged various demonstrations primarily aimed at stopping the event, including organizing multiple types of theatrical activism. For instance, the divested women expressed their disappointment through crowing a sheep Miss America, destroying oppressive gender-based artifacts including girdles and bras, high heels, makeups in from of the reporters.

The women wanted to send a message to the globe that women were equally important, just like their men counterparts and not just a society marionette or puppets in the hands of men. Series of demonstrations were made against the competition that oppressed the image of women in society. They demonstrated with the poster printed "Cattle Parades Are Degrading and humiliating to Human Beings," "Boring Job: Woman Wanted," and "Low Pay: Woman Wanted," "Women's Liberation," "Freedom for Women" and "No More Miss America," notably, This time the second feminist's movement was vocal than the first movement. Women were victims of patriarchal circumstances, unfair beauty culture, and commercialized oppression. After all those events, the idea of woman rights and equality started to become a world interest, and the media (TV, journals...) started to speak about it. This marked the emergence and recognition of the second feminism movement.

Impact of Second Feminism on American Workforce

Just like their male counterparts, women needed equal working rights to organize their life and that of their families, they did not want to be perceived as male puppets. For instance, Anthony sheds light on a typical example of how women with children were discriminated in the workforce. He gives an example of Ida Philips, who was denied employment opportunities because of having seven children. Despite Martin Marietta's policy of not hiring women with preschool-age children, the court ruled in favor of Ida and noted that the corporation had broken the law. The incident shed more significant insights on how women were discriminated in the workplace, and the need to change this perception was on course through the second-wave feminism movement.

More men were hired with preschool-age children for assembly-line jobs. Ida filled a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and won the case, which also received support from the president of the justice department Richard Nixon. This marked the onset of American women's struggles for an equal employment opportunity. Women perceived themselves as capable of working and supporting their families, just like men. The case translated into multiple controversial views and debates, as many opposed equal working opportunities. Notably, black women in the southern part of America during the 1930s joined various labor unions including the

The articles try to shed significant insights on how the feminist movement has led to significant changes in the contemporary society perception of women, including the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), to protest discrimination of employment opportunities, poor wages, and poor working environment. Notably, discrimination existed among women themselves, and the feminism movement was against this aspect. American women wanted equality among themselves to fight as a united block in presenting their grievances. The article concurs with this sentiment by presenting employment gaps between married and single women. The impact of the second world war was accompanied by significant history in the labor department when married women outnumbered single women in the workforce.

Notably, between 1940 and 1960, the percentage of married women increased tremendously by 400%, causing controversy opinion about employments of married women. In 1950, half of the United States' wives were employed, and various magazine surveys revealed great opposition to this upward trend. Notably, feminism has changed the contemporary society workplace by developing a more improved modern culture, which fosters organization productivity. Moreover, it has created a balance between men and women and the much-needed freedom at workplaces to improve sexual orientation. Notably, between the end of the second world war and the beginning of modern feminism, conflicting views arose on the role of mothers in the American economy.

The article further notes that, at the ideological perspective, which is aligned to the Freudian theory, any married woman that sought for paid employment suffered from psychological suffering of 'penis envy' and masculinity complex. The American men perceive themselves as superior and capable of supporting both the woman and the children, and thus women should not seek paid employment. The author notes that this was a sign of capitalism superiority of men over women, and the women wanted to change the status quo. The article has constantly offered significant insight into how the second feminist have shaped contemporary society. Critics of women's employment stated that there was no economic need if women seeking employments and placed more emphasis on women's child-rearing and house chore roles. Notably, from 1945 to 1965, it expresses the significance and importance of the child-rearing of women and that seeking employment would hinder of jeopardizing child-rearing. However, opponents and the working women challenge the idea by making such an assertion that a single-family wage was not enough in providing an adequate standard of living. Thus women had the right to pursue employment outside the home.

For instance, the feminist movement has changed house chores being women's work. This has consequently less the role attributed to gender-identity since either gender can assume any chores in the modern corporate world. Moreover, the movement has assumed strategic roles in American society and exercised their regenerative rights, including making laws multiple proposals that protect women from being abused at workplaces. Furthermore, the article pinpoints how the second feminist movement has influenced contemporary employment culture. Moreover, many governments and organizations have enacted gender-based regulations that employers must comply with when considering gender equality. Many women have been protected in contemporary society by regulations promoting gender-based equality at work. Many employers also embrace the importance of gender balance and equality at work since it is a key factor that fosters good corporate relationships hence productivity.

Notably, women's role in economic development received recognition during the onset of the 1940s when many men were left in foreign land taking part in the second world war. The second world war is arguable, the major factor behind the evolution of the second feminism wave. During this period, labor unions had significantly grown and become stronger as women increasingly assumed paid employments, especially in the manufacturing sector, which was significant in supporting the war. In the competitive cold war, the role of women was perceived differently during the 1950s and 1960s as the United States policymakers started showing their concern about the role of women in economic contribution and development. They stipulated that house chores were depriving women of economic contributions; their sentiment sparked wide feminism revolutions. In contemporary society, feminism movement has increased women self-confidence in seeking paid employment opportunities to support their needs and family just like men,

Conclusion and Personal Reflection

In conclusion, the feminist movement has proved significant in providing numerous employment opportunities and protection to women. Ideally, the movement has improved women's lives as they can now seek paid employment and support their families. For instance, in contemporary society, many single mothers exist who are employed. Undeniably, I am a beneficiary of the feminism movement since it has created environment freedom of expression that has translated to making contemporary society more democratic. In sum, the movement has reshaped how women were initially perceived as men's puppets to a more respectable member of the society, significantly contributing to economic development.

Bibliography

Brown and Shannon, Going to the Source, vol. 2 CAPSTONE: Organizing Their Lives: Women, Work, and Family, 1950- 2000. Posted on D2L