Women’s Liberationists

1. Women’s Liberationists Experiences using a range of sources

2. Women’s Liberation Movement – Define it and its gaols. • Women’s Liberation was a second wave of feminist activism. • The first wave was the late 19th and early 20th century and focussed on; • The vote • Getting women into universities • The 2nd wave campaigned for; • Equal pay • Equal opportunities • Anti-discrimination legislation • Child and maternal welfare • Divorce laws • Childcare • Freedom of choice – education, employment, marriage, contraception and abortion

3. List some strategies adopted by feminists. • The strategies adopted included • Writing Books - Damned Whores and God's Police by Dr. Anne Summers and The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer. • Marching – Equal Pay Protests • Running campaigns • Conferences • Lobbying politicians – Women’s Electoral Lobby • What else could be added to this list?

4. Who tends to make up the Women’s Liberation movement? • The majority of members of the women’s liberation and feminist’s movements are white middle class women. • Few indigenous and migrant women or men participate. • High profile feminists include Germaine Greer

5. Helen Reddy’s ‘I am Woman’ became a theme for the international women’s liberation movement

6. What does this source reveal about the Women’s Liberation Movement? I am woman, hear me roar In numbers too big to ignore And I know too much to go back an' pretend cause I've heard it all before And I've been down there on the floor No one's ever gonna keep me down again Oh yes I am wiseBut it's wisdom born of painYes, I've paid the priceBut look how much I gainedIf I have to, I can do anythingI am strong (strong)I am invincible (invincible)I am woman

7. You can bend but never break me 'cause it only serves to make me More determined to achieve my final goal And I come back even stronger Not a novice any longer 'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul I am woman watch me grow See me standing toe to toe As I spread my lovin' arms across the land But I'm still an embryo With a long long way to go Until I make my brother understand

8. The Women’s Electoral Lobby • Formed in Melbourne in 1972 • By 1978 it was a national organisation with over 2000 members • The major policy maker’s of the Women’s Liberation Movement • Aims to influence politicians and gain positions in government for women

9. The Women’s Electoral Lobby • WEL • Surveyed politicians about their ideas • Promoted their views through the media • Made submissions and reports to government bodies • Elizabeth Reid was active in WEL and was the first Women’s Advisor to the Prime Minister in 1973 • Gough Whitlam and Elizabeth Reid – What does this source reveal?

10. International Women’s Day • 31 August 1975 • Australia celebrates International Women's Day • The Australian Government held the first national conference from 31 August to 6 September in1975 on the status of women (Women and Politics) and committed Australia to celebrating International Women's Day with other member nations of the United Nations. • The first International Women’s Day March in Australia was in 1972 • Using this source and your own information describe the actions used by the women’s liberation movement to achieve change.

11. Zelda D’Aprano • In 1969 she chained herself to the doors of the Commonwealth building in Melbourne as a protest against the Commonwealth Arbitration Commission’s failure to achieve equal pay for women. • In 1970 she formed the Women’s Action Committee • Why is this source useful for studying women’s liberationists?

12. Zelda D’Aprano • ... We both agreed that something more than just talking was needed to draw attention to the pay injustice meted out to women and more positive action was required. We began to fantasize women chaining themselves up like the suffragettes did, and jokingly asked ourselves, where could women chain themselves to make their protest effective? • I began to think seriously of the chaining up idea, then decided I would be prepared to chain myself to the Commonwealth Building … Little did I realize the effect this event would have in changing the entire course of my life. What issue is Zelda referring to in this source?

13. A popular women’s chant from the 1970s “Men like birds; Birds live in cages. They have done for ages, On second class wages. Women’s Liberation’s going to smash that cage, Come join us now and rage, rage, rage.” What does this source reveal about the women’s movement?