The lives of women from the 15th century to through the 20th century changed remarkably. As society changed, so did the role of women in the household, politics, workforce, and their rights. We started with the 15th century, a time where social classes were very rigid, which also led for a huge gap between the roles of women. Higher class women had different expectations and roles than women from lower classes up until the early 20th century. In the 1400’s and 1500’s, women’s lives were solely based around the home. Since they were 10, they were immediately taught domestic chores and how to run a household. Girls did not go to school, because they were not seen as worthy for an education and it would distract them from their main job as a household worker. Women remained home while their husbands worked in the fields and handled all responsibilities of the home. They also were not allowed to participate in political activities and had very little freedom so that they did not become more powerful than men.
This remained the same throughout the 17th century. The 18th century did bring little change to the role of women. Many women still stayed at home with the children and tended to household chores. However, during this time, some women began working outside of the home to receive an additional income for the family, working in domestic jobs such as maids, childcare, and cooking for other families. Also during this time, women began to participate in religious activities, and some even held significant positions in religious sects. Women also began to receive education in school. It was seen as necessary because they raised children, the future generation, so it was seen that they should have a basic education to further enlighten the upcoming generation of leaders. The 19th century did not change much from the 18th, however, during this time, social classes began to play a greater role on the lives of women, as the gap between rich and poor grew significantly during this time. Lower class women had to work outside the home, manage household chores, and raise the children. Without their income, the family couldn't survive. Upper class women on the other hand, grew up in a pampered lifestyle. They did not have to work and experience the luxuries of life. Women during this time were still excluded from political decisions and voting. The 20th century brought the greatest change to the lives of American women. It was during this century that women began to fight for their rights, demand freedom, and actively join the workforce. Women during the 1900’s gained a new confidence which led to great change by the end of the century. With the wars that took place and men leaving to fight, women got to show the nation that they could work just as hard and keep the country going. The rise of women’s rights movements brought many changes to women’s lives including the right to vote in 1920 and gender equality laws passed around the 1980’s. The status of African American women and other immigrant women improved parallely with white women. They faced more hardships at first and their equality was delayed compared to white women, however, their status in America improved greatly after their arrival in the United States to the 20th century. Over the centuries, the role and status of women in society changed notably as society itself changed and new improvement and technologies arised. We are now in a society where men and women are treated and seen as equals, however there is always room for improvement in different aspects of our lives. Maybe we will never be equal, but maybe we will reach a time in life where the entire human race is treated equally without regards to social status, race, and gender. The transition from the 50’s to the 1960's was a tremendous and significant change for American women, and the decades after continued to improve their lives. For the first time, the birth control pill was placed into the market, abortion was legalized, and laws were put in place to ensure equality between genders in the workplace. Women’s rights movements gained much support which led to radical changes and gender equality. Birth Control/Abortion During the early 20th century, it was very important for a woman to get married before age 25. She was usually married right after, sometimes even during, high school, because there was a lot of pressure from society. Instead of pursuing higher education, females were encouraged to get married, which they called their "M.R.S. Degree." However, some continued education even after marriage if their husbands permitted them and if they had time (after completing their responsibilities in the house). If a woman wasn't married by 25, it was seen as an embarrassment because she couldn't start a family, which was seen as her duty. Women were also not allowed to refuse any demands from their husbands, including conceiving children. This became a great problem for them because women ended up becoming pregnant, many times against their will. This also led to greater sized families, some with around 4-6 children. For those in high school, being pregnant resulted in expulsion from school, halting them from completing their education. Some girls in high school, who weren't married yet also became pregnant and this was seen as a taboo in society. The problems caused by unwanted pregnancy grew significantly and acted as a barrier for many women. In 1960, Enovoid, the first birth control pill, went on the market. Because of this, women were no longer limited by unwanted pregnancies. They now had the choice to delay pregnancy until they were ready, which gave them the opportunity to continue their education or to continue enjoying their lives before taking on the responsibility of parenting. In 1973, the federal government overturns state laws and legalizes the availability of abortion. This also gives women more freedom in deciding whether to birth children or not. There were times when women still got pregnant due to malfunction or misuse of the pill, and abortion acted as another means to delay pregnancy. Women’s Rights Movements 1960-1970 Prior to the 1960’s, the life of an American woman was very limited. She was expected to follow one path: marry in her early adult years, start a family, and dedicate the rest of her life to her husband and raising her children (in the late 50’s women had become a part of the workforce and some managed family life and work). Especially after men returned from the war and needed jobs, they wanted women to go back to the home so there would be more jobs for men. However, many women started arguing that they have the right to live life how they wanted and to have their own freedom. This led for an increased participation in women’s rights movements, where women demanded their freedom and equality in society. The 1960’s and 1970’s were decades of great success for the women's rights movement. Many women started to expect the same jobs as men, and believed that women should have equal rights in the workplace. As mentioned in the previous section, they faced sexual harassment, less pay, and less job advancement than men. Although an equal pay legislation was passed in 1963, it didn’t make much of a difference in the workplace. The women were angered by this and created an organization called the National Women’s Organization in 1966. They went on to lobby Congress for pro-equality laws and assist women seeking legal aid as they battled workplace discrimination in the courts. Betty Friedan was an important leader of this organization who believed that gender discrimination needed to be attended to or else it would affect everyone in a political and personal manner. The organization brought change through lobbying Congress to change laws, publicizing issues like rape and domestic violence through the media (songs, books, shows, etc), and reaching out to ordinary women to both expand the movement and raise their awareness of how feminism could help them. There were also several songs that brought awareness to women’s rights and encouraged women to fight for their rights such as “I am Woman” by Helen Reddy, “You Don’t Owe Me” by Leslie Gore, and “Sisters, O Sisters” by Yoko Ono. Other organizations, such as The Women’s Liberation Group and The Women’s Rights Group focused on individual cases of discrimination and helped bring justice to unfair practices. They also protested in major cities, on college campuses, and at beauty pageants because they didn’t like how women were treated like objects and used as amusement to men. They burned hair curlers, bras, and makeup to show their anger and opposition to the pageant. Feminist political organizations were the driving force behind efforts of the movements to fight for social equality and overcome oppression. During the 70’s, the greatest achievement of the movement was getting the government to legalize abortion. In 1973, the supreme court case Roe vs. Wade constitutionalized abortion as it highlighted the difficulties women faced from unwanted pregnancies. Women also started gaining support from the rest of society. Many men believed that women deserved to be treated as equals, seeing that they can do the same work as men. With the growing support for women’s rights movements, radical changes were made that transformed the lives of American women and their roles in society. 1980-1990 The hard work of women’s rights movements in the 60’s and 70’s led for easier, more equal lives of women in the 80’s and 90’s. Women were gaining more control over society as laws with advantages towards women were created. Feminism started creating a more equal society. On Sept. 3,1981 discrimination against women was eliminated Many women obtained jobs in the federal government and Congress, the federal government passed several laws which gave women greater equality in society and in the workplace, and workplaces had much greater gender equality (1963 Equal Pay Act, 1964 Civil Rights Act). In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro becomes the first woman nominated for vice president by a major party. In 1993, Janet Reno becomes the first woman to hold the office of Attorney General of the United States. The number of women in the workforce increased to 78%. Many women were now seen working in professional fields and seeing a women as a doctor, lawyer, and businessman was very common. Additionally, the huge wage gap between men and women decreased significantly. Many laws were enforced by the government to ensure fairness between the genders. In 1993, the supreme court ruled that sexual harassment was illegal. In 1999, women could sue against sexual discrimination. There were no longer any laws regarding women’s property ownership. The men no longer gained full access to all property. Everything belongs to both husband and wife. Overall, the lives of women greatly improved in the 80’s and 90’s due to the hard work of the women fighting for rights in the 60’s and 70’s. They had more freedom and were seen as equal individuals in society. Profession and Education During the 60’s, more women had entered the paid workforce than ever. Before, they were limited to working as nurse, teachers, and secretaries. Now, they were working with men in paid job fields, however this led to greater problems in the workplace. Women had to face sexual harassment, unequal pay, and unequal job opportunities at work. A man was paid 60% more than a woman for the same job. This angered many women, which led to the growing support for the National Organization of Women. The organization focused on dismantling inequality between genders in the workplace through anti-discrimination laws and protests. In the 70’s and 80’s, even more women joined the workforce. The 60’s and 70’s were filled with movements fighting for gender equality in the workplace, and with the few changes made, women continued joining the force. While the wage gap failed to close as much as hoped, it still did become smaller. They mobilized on all fronts. 70’s women also fought for equal rights in business and in education. Between 1970 and 1989, the number of women in colleges increased by 60%. Higher education allowed for job positions in more professional businesses. For the first time in America’s history, more women were going to college than men. Women also began taking management roles in businesses. The 90’s were a time where women began excelling in education and the workforce. Women received 49% of the degrees in college and 40% of the medical degrees. Compared to the 80’s, the wage of working women increased by 30%. It is also now socially acceptable for both men and women to work. This was helpful for families because they had two incomes coming into the household and evenly distributed household responsibilities. There was also more equality in the workforce as wage gaps decreased significantly. Women were doctors, lawyers, business leaders, models and actresses, just to name a few. Overall, the 1990's were an era of great professional success for women. Household and Society Women’s role at home has changed over time. In the 1960's, women were married by the age of 19. Women were expected to marry, start a family, and devote their life to house work. The majority of people believed that women belonged at home. They believed that women should cook, do the chores, and take care of the family. In the 1960's, Women did work, but they were limited to jobs like teacher, nurse, or secretary and earned less wages compared to men. In the 1970's, during the Vietnam War, men went off to fight in the war so women had to stay behind and support the family. Women became more independent and took a more leadership role in running the family. Women fought for their rights for education and jobs. More women were slowly moved away from the home setting to the work setting. Women started going to college and the wage gap slowly started to close in. in the 1970's, Women could officially join the army. The 1980's saw a shift in women from the home into labor forces and out of marriages and into independent living arrangements. In the 1990's, men did more household work than earlier. Most families had two income earners and juggled chores and childcare responsibilities equally between husband and wife. During the 1990's, women thought that if men were allowed to do something, then they can do it too. Women started giving priority to their future in addition to thinking about the family. The 1990's saw fewer women stayed at home, less number of children per family, and more women attending college and a higher education. In the 1960's, 34% of the women worked outside their home. In the 1990's, about 60% if the women worked outside their home. Women faced faced a lot of backlash in the initial period of change. Everything women did was looked upon by the society by the society and the media. By 1990's, this attitude had changed and women were treated as symbols of progress. African American Women Throughout history, the role of African American women has changed dramatically. In the 1960's, African American women were not allowed to participate directly in the civil rights marches. Even though they could not participate in the marches, African American women served as a lead source for gathering people within local communities. They were considered as the “backbone of the Civil Rights Movement.” These women suffered cruel oppression which made them more determined to make a difference in their own life. African American women took control of their family and leadership of religion. They took upon themselves the responsibility of protecting the community. One very important figure, in the African American civil rights movements, was Rosa Parks. She was the symbol of African Americans who struggled for equal rights and freedom. On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks got on a bus to go home. The African American section, on the bus, was full so she sat in the seat reserved for whites. When a white man got on the bus, he rudely asked Rosa Parks to sit somewhere else; she didn’t move. She was arrested because she refused to give up her seat. In the 60's, there was still segregation, white women had more opportunities in society than African American women. In the 1970's, African Americans women continued to fight for equality and racial segregation officially ended, but white people still saw themselves as superior to African Americans. In the 1980's, African American women made great progress in education and entered into previously forbidden jobs, but there was still discrimination of gender and race. African American women earned less than African American men, white women, and white men. In the 1990's, the empowerment of African American women gained traction. They had more rights and opportunities than ever before. In 1992, first African American female, Mae Jenison, went into space. African American women had so many more opportunities and more equality than they had previously experienced in the late 20th century, which led for them to accomplish more than ever before. Conclusion The late 20th century brought significant change for American women. They obtained so much more freedom and equality due to the rise of women's rights movements and their gaining support. Organizations were founded where women fought hard for their rights. By the end of the century, society viewed men and women as equals. Women and men worked together in the workforce and, unlike in the beginning of the 1960's, the 1990's brought great gender equality in all aspects of life. The 1960's through 1990's may have been the greatest era of change for American women. Comparing Sources
The book, Balancing Act: Motherhood, Marriage, and Employment Among American Women by Daphne Spain, describes the progression of the role of women over time. According to this book, Women have always held many roles, but their responsibilities have changed over time. They are now capable of doing multiple tasks and fulfilling multiple roles at the same time. Earlier the norm was, women got married and then had children. After their children grew up, the mothers either stayed at home or entered the labor force. In the new society, many women have children out of wedlock. Women are now joining workforce and are being independent much earlier in their lives. This book glorifies the role women have played and the sacrifices women have done to not just unite but at times even run the family. The author believes, women have not shied from taking responsibilities and have stood up to the challenge. The book, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, by Susan Faludi, talks about the backlash faced by women as their role changed over time. The author describe how the media and society tried to turn back the clock on the change in women role. The book mentions how the press glorified educated women staying home. The authors shows that the response of media to changes in women role has not altered since Victorian era and after. Women have fought against the media and society. This book also highlights change in attitude of men over time. Men are now seen taking pride in the social progress of women. Now criticism towards women have been less. This book goes ahead to caution women against the temptation and misuse of their progress by opportunistic. The book cites an example of celebration of suffrage held in Washington DC where the organizers encouraged to smoke to demonstrate their freedom. This book goes a step further in not just glorifying women progress but also advises them on how to avoid pitfalls. Both of the sources talked about the role of American women in society from the 1960's to the 1990's, however Balancing Act: Motherhood, Marriage, and Employment Among American Women focuses more on the role of women in the household, society, and the workforce, while Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women was centered on women fighting for their rights and how they obtained them. They were very interesting to read and provided an insightful look into the lives of women in American during the late 20th century. Citations: Faludi, S. (2006). Backlash the undeclared war against American women. New York: Three Rivers Press. Spain, D., & Bianchi, S. M. (1997). Balancing act: motherhood, marriage, and employment among American women. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation. |
AuthorSimran and Ananya Archives
June 2017
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