Naming “The Problem Naming “The Problem that Has No Name”: that Has No Name”:

Second Wave FeminismSecond Wave Feminism

►““Second Wave” to distinguish from Second Wave” to distinguish from “First Wave,” the fight for suffrage“First Wave,” the fight for suffrage

►Movement lost coherence and Movement lost coherence and motivation after 1920motivation after 1920

Persistent, Systematic, Persistent, Systematic, Omnipresent DiscriminationOmnipresent Discrimination

► Lois Rabinowitz: “Do you appreciate you’re in a Lois Rabinowitz: “Do you appreciate you’re in a courtroom in slacks?”; “start now and clamp down a courtroom in slacks?”; “start now and clamp down a little or it’ll be too late”little or it’ll be too late”

► Stewardesses: “Executive Flight;” height, weight, Stewardesses: “Executive Flight;” height, weight, hands “soft and white;” marriagehands “soft and white;” marriage

► College and quotas: “We don’t have anything in the College and quotas: “We don’t have anything in the newsroom for you, but I could see if we could get you newsroom for you, but I could see if we could get you a waitressing job in the a waitressing job in the TimesTimes cafeteria.”; MRS degree cafeteria.”; MRS degree

► House deed: “It was made out to ‘John McDaniel and House deed: “It was made out to ‘John McDaniel and spouse.’ My name wasn’t even on it.”: banks only spouse.’ My name wasn’t even on it.”: banks only considered women’s salaries on loans if over 28, ½ if considered women’s salaries on loans if over 28, ½ if in 30s, all if over 40 and sterilizedin 30s, all if over 40 and sterilized

► Men’s clubs/lounges/gyms; golf courses, bars, lunch Men’s clubs/lounges/gyms; golf courses, bars, lunch counterscounters

► Sandra Day O’Connor: 1981: “It must be a secretarial Sandra Day O’Connor: 1981: “It must be a secretarial position, is it not?”; Stanford Law 1952 (1 of 5)position, is it not?”; Stanford Law 1952 (1 of 5)

I. Preconditions for Gender I. Preconditions for Gender ConsciousnessConsciousness

► The Women’s Movement required:The Women’s Movement required:

1)1) that a critical mass of people who that a critical mass of people who were able to see that there were were able to see that there were problems that had to be fixed and problems that had to be fixed and

2)2) who saw themselves as a group who saw themselves as a group facing common problemsfacing common problems

1. Birth Control1. Birth Control

►Widespread use of birth control (esp. Widespread use of birth control (esp. after 1960 and the birth control pill; 1 after 1960 and the birth control pill; 1 million women using within 1 year):million women using within 1 year):

►Ruptured the link between sex and Ruptured the link between sex and reproduction (didn’t have to be reproduction (didn’t have to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen)barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen) Later: “tissue paper” sexLater: “tissue paper” sex

2. Life Expectancy2. Life Expectancy

►1900-1950: life expectancy for women 1900-1950: life expectancy for women doubled (48doubled (48 70s; esp. safer births): 70s; esp. safer births): fewer childrenfewer children

►opens up time for women to act after opens up time for women to act after children leave home (empty nest)children leave home (empty nest)

3. Education3. Education

►Proliferation of schools (GI Bill)Proliferation of schools (GI Bill) expectation women will be educatedexpectation women will be educated

►Middle class women go to work in Middle class women go to work in order to raise money to send children order to raise money to send children to collegeto college

►CollegeCollege question received wisdom, question received wisdom, marry later, fewer kids, more careersmarry later, fewer kids, more careers Raised expectationsRaised expectations

4. Women Working4. Women Working►More and more women working: including More and more women working: including

married women (legacy of WWII)married women (legacy of WWII)► 1940: 15%1940: 15% ‘60: 30%‘60: 30% ’70: 40%’70: 40% ’80: 50% ’80: 50%► Principally still traditional jobs: pink collar/servicePrincipally still traditional jobs: pink collar/service► 1960: 3.5% of lawyers; 6.1% of doctors: 1960: 3.5% of lawyers; 6.1% of doctors: less less than in than in

19401940► Economic growth + government expansionEconomic growth + government expansion

new and bigger bureaucraciesnew and bigger bureaucracies clerical clerical work (pink collar)work (pink collar) pull women out of pull women out of homeshomes women in women in laborlabor movement movement organizational and activist experienceorganizational and activist experience

►Why working? Intellectual stimulation, Why working? Intellectual stimulation, necessary to maintain middle class lifestylenecessary to maintain middle class lifestyle

5. 1950s Critiques of 5. 1950s Critiques of ConformityConformity

►Beats, Playboy, psychologists, etc.Beats, Playboy, psychologists, etc. men men as cogs in the machine who need to as cogs in the machine who need to break freebreak free

►Although focus on effects on men, women Although focus on effects on men, women also read and are affected and see selves also read and are affected and see selves in new waysin new ways Women still expected to work “double shift” Women still expected to work “double shift”

but not recognized for itbut not recognized for it Popular culture didn’t change: idealization of Popular culture didn’t change: idealization of

domesticitydomesticity frustration and neurosis: frustration and neurosis: “Domestic containment”“Domestic containment”

6. Microwave Oven Liberation6. Microwave Oven Liberation

►Massive reduction in hours worked in Massive reduction in hours worked in the home by washing machines, the home by washing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc.vacuum cleaners, etc. increased increased time and energy for activismtime and energy for activism For those who worked outside of the For those who worked outside of the

home; for housewives # hours increased home; for housewives # hours increased from 1920s level: raised bar on from 1920s level: raised bar on expectationexpectation►Martha StewartMartha Stewart

7. Civil Rights Movement7. Civil Rights Movement

► CRM functioned as a revolution: CRM functioned as a revolution: 1)1) Involvement in movement was Involvement in movement was

transformative for activiststransformative for activists2)2) Society was transformedSociety was transformedWomen in CRM learned important lessons:Women in CRM learned important lessons:1)1) If racial equality, why not gender equality?If racial equality, why not gender equality?2)2) Sacrifice would be necessary, but change Sacrifice would be necessary, but change

possiblepossible3)3) Required collective actionRequired collective action4)4) Government support necessary as was Government support necessary as was

convincing those who disagreed with convincing those who disagreed with movementmovement

II. Women’s Rights II. Women’s Rights MovementMovement

A. 1961: JFK’s A. 1961: JFK’s Commission on the Commission on the Status of WomenStatus of Women

► JFK owed women for JFK owed women for 1960 election victory1960 election victory

► JFK didn’t understand JFK didn’t understand or predict what he or predict what he was setting in motionwas setting in motion

► First “consciousness raising” movement: First “consciousness raising” movement: different races, regions, classes, ethnicitiesdifferent races, regions, classes, ethnicities

►Discovered all societies/cultures undervalue Discovered all societies/cultures undervalue womenwomen

► Collected reams of data in order to file law suitsCollected reams of data in order to file law suits► Set up state commissions in order to gather Set up state commissions in order to gather

more data and to raise issues and make more data and to raise issues and make changechange

►Many of the women had radical roots: old Left, Many of the women had radical roots: old Left, Harlem activists, New Deal coalition, labor Harlem activists, New Deal coalition, labor activists, etc.activists, etc.

B. B. Feminine MystiqueFeminine Mystique

►1963: Betty Friedan’s 1963: Betty Friedan’s Feminine Feminine MystiqueMystique attacks idealization of attacks idealization of domesticity and the split-level trapdomesticity and the split-level trap

►Reveals to middle class white women Reveals to middle class white women that there was a systemic problemthat there was a systemic problem

►Names the “problem with no name”Names the “problem with no name”

C. 1964 Civil Rights ActC. 1964 Civil Rights Act

► Inadvertently addressed women’s Inadvertently addressed women’s issuesissues

►Amendment made in an effort to kill it: Amendment made in an effort to kill it: illegal to discriminate on basis of sex illegal to discriminate on basis of sex (poison pill)(poison pill)

►Passage excites women activistsPassage excites women activists►But EEOC refuses to enforce sex But EEOC refuses to enforce sex

discrim.: limited staff and fundingdiscrim.: limited staff and funding focus on racefocus on race

D. NOWD. NOW► 1966: National Organization of Women formed to 1966: National Organization of Women formed to

force EEOC to enforce provisions for womenforce EEOC to enforce provisions for women 11stst Pres: Betty Friedan Pres: Betty Friedan

► Early days: primarily professional women (esp. Early days: primarily professional women (esp. attorneys), middle class, middle ageattorneys), middle class, middle age

► Focus on legal and economic discrim.: lawsuits and Focus on legal and economic discrim.: lawsuits and lobbyinglobbying Similar to NAACPSimilar to NAACP E.g. 1972 E.g. 1972 WeeksWeeks v. v. Southern BellSouthern Bell (phone company 30 lbs. (phone company 30 lbs.

weightlifting requirement for testers): CRA loophole: weightlifting requirement for testers): CRA loophole: discrim. was legal if “reasonable qualification” (meant to discrim. was legal if “reasonable qualification” (meant to be sperm donors and wet nurses); Lilly Ledbetter Law, be sperm donors and wet nurses); Lilly Ledbetter Law, 2009 (Goodyear)2009 (Goodyear)

III. Women’s LiberationIII. Women’s Liberation

►Grows out of CRM and Anti-war Grows out of CRM and Anti-war movementsmovements

►Women in these movements faced Women in these movements faced discrim.: forced to fulfill demeaning, discrim.: forced to fulfill demeaning, traditional roles (secretaries, sex)traditional roles (secretaries, sex)

►Men in movements respond to women’s Men in movements respond to women’s complaints w/ridicule: lynching and complaints w/ridicule: lynching and napalm are real problems, yours aren’tnapalm are real problems, yours aren’t

Hidden Injuries of SexHidden Injuries of Sex

►Women’s Liberation grass roots, Women’s Liberation grass roots, decentralizeddecentralized

► Consciousness raising groups: cultural Consciousness raising groups: cultural problems they face:problems they face:

►Division of labor in family: women’s workDivision of labor in family: women’s work► Beauty and the Barbie Ideal: 1968 Ms. Beauty and the Barbie Ideal: 1968 Ms.

America pageantAmerica pageant► Sexual revolution (named in 1965 by media)Sexual revolution (named in 1965 by media)►Medicine + doctorsMedicine + doctors

►These issues seen as more important These issues seen as more important than NOW lawsuitsthan NOW lawsuits want to change want to change society not just get bigger piece of the society not just get bigger piece of the piepie NOW sees economics as root of cultural NOW sees economics as root of cultural

problems (semi-Marxist analysis)problems (semi-Marxist analysis)

IV. Convergence in 1970IV. Convergence in 1970

►1970 NOW calls nationwide strike in 1970 NOW calls nationwide strike in commemoration of 1920commemoration of 1920

►Draws together Women’s Lib groupsDraws together Women’s Lib groups►NOW transformed from withinNOW transformed from within

focusing on both economic and focusing on both economic and cultural issuescultural issues

V. ImpactsV. Impacts► Legal goals largely achieved, and economic equality Legal goals largely achieved, and economic equality

greatergreater ““Mancession”: women may soon outnumber men in the Mancession”: women may soon outnumber men in the

workforceworkforce Closing of gap more decline male wages than increase Closing of gap more decline male wages than increase

women’swomen’s► Cultural goals face most resistance: 1980s Backlash Cultural goals face most resistance: 1980s Backlash

(feminazis, opposition to ERA, violence rises)(feminazis, opposition to ERA, violence rises) Feminism becomes a dirty word: even those who agree with Feminism becomes a dirty word: even those who agree with

the goals don’t call selves feministsthe goals don’t call selves feminists► Third Wave Feminism (mid 1990s)Third Wave Feminism (mid 1990s)

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Anita Hill (Clarence Thomas hearings)Hillary Rodham Clinton, Anita Hill (Clarence Thomas hearings)► Ambivalent impact on education: women increase # Ambivalent impact on education: women increase #

in college (majority) but quality of teachers declines in college (majority) but quality of teachers declines (smart women + minorities have other opportunities)(smart women + minorities have other opportunities)

Sarah Palin?Sarah Palin?