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The Women’s Movement . Women in the Workplace. By 1960, vast gender inequality in wages & leadership positions Airline stewardesses file lawsuits against airlines for sex discrimination * Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, 1965) refused to enforce the Civil Rights Act.
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Women in the Workplace • By 1960, vast gender inequality in wages & leadership positions • Airline stewardesses file lawsuits against airlines for sex discrimination • *Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC, 1965) refused to enforce the Civil Rights Act
NOW and Weeks v. Southern Bell • *Frustration over lack of progress leads to formation of NOW (National Organization for Women) in 1966 to enforce legal changes • Lorena Weeks & Southern Bell (1966)
Women’s Liberation • Increasing radicalism & influence from other movements • Humorous, flamboyant strategies to expose sexism • *Miss America pageant protest (1968) • Whistle-in on Wall Street • *Occupation of Ladies’ Home Journal magazine offices (1970)
*Women’s Strike for Equality (1970) • Celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 19th Amendment • Over 20,000 marched in NYC and throughout the country
Gloria Steinem • A reporter who became a spokeswoman for the movement • *Founded “Ms.”, a feminist magazine (1972) “Honey, if men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.”
Women on TV • More storylines about independent women in mainstream TV • “Battle of the Sexes” between Bobby Riggs & Billie Jean King (1970)
Reproductive Rights • *Sherri Finkbine abortion case (1962) • *Roe v Wade (1973) • Legalized abortion in the 1st trimester of pregnancy
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) • Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. • Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. • Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) • Phyllis Schlafly led the opposition to the amendment • Ronald Reagan elected, reflecting increasing conservatism • *The deadline passes in 1982; not enough states ratify in time