Overview of Women's Rights Movement

Overview of Women's Rights Movement

• The women's rights movement in the U.S. progressed through several waves from the 19th to the 21st century.

First Wave of Feminism

• Initiated around 1848 with the Seneca Falls Convention focused on women's rights.
• Culminated in 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.
• After achieving suffrage, the movement became less active for several decades.

Second Wave of Feminism

• Emerged in the 1960s, spurred by the publication of Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" in 1963.
• Featured a diverse array of women's groups with differing ideologies.

Divisions Among Women's Groups

• Conservative women's movement aimed to uphold the patriarchal system and traditional roles of women.
• Radical women's movement viewed all male-created institutions as oppressive.
• Central debate revolved around the Equal Rights Amendment, proposed by feminists but ultimately not ratified due to opposition from a conservative backlash.

Notable Figures and Contributions

• Activists such as Gloria Steinem and Fanny Lou Hamer played significant roles in supporting young African-American women, especially those in blue-collar jobs.