Womens Liberation In the 1960s

The 1960s was a major turning point for American culture. It was the first time in history that a widespread number young people, African Americans, and women realized they could stand up and fight for what they believe in. The women's rights movement greatly improved women's basic rights and rights in the workplace, and redefined traditional household roles.

Before the 1960s, women couldn't be mothers and have a social life. This changed when women started going to women's groups and having careers. Feminists and women's lib supporters also tried to get rid of society's obsession with physical beauty and viewing women as sex objects. Another huge issue for women during the 1960s were "reproductive rights." Women wanted abortion to be legal and birth control to be available to anyone who wanted it. Secret abortion clinics started popping up all across America, and the movement gained some ground when the FDA approved birth control pills and made them available to be put on the market. In 1961 President Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt made the President's Commission on the Status of Women, and the Equal Pay Act was also passed. Even still, "as stated by Estelle Carol, 'In the 1960s, there were no women bus drivers, welders, firefighters, news anchors, CEOS or Supreme Court Justices. Women professors, doctors, scientists or lawyers were rare'"(Sawhney). 

Sawhney, Vintee. "The Women's Liberation Movement of the 1960s." UIC. The CWLU History Website, n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. 
Walsh, Kenneth. "The 1960s: A Decade of Change For Women." US News, March 12 2010. Web. 22 May 2014.
"The Women's Movement: Liberated At Last?" PBS. The Sixties, 2005. Web. 22 May 2014.