The “Other” Liberation Movements

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Transcript The “Other” Liberation Movements

The

“

Other

”

Movements Liberation

1960s – 1970s

The Two Major Movements of the 50s

–

60s

Anti-War Protestors with the Vietnam Conflict Civil Rights and its off-shoots

An Era of Activism

The Women ’ s Movement Ethnic Minorities Seek Equality The Counterculture Environmental and Consumer Movements

1960s:

“

The Times They Are A-Changin

’” –

Bob Dylan song

Women ’ s Rights had been an issue since the 1880s  Right to vote  Right to property  Right to self determination

Feminism

Theory of political, economic, and social equality between men and women.

Feminists believe in that and take action to bring it about.

1960s: Fighting against the Stereotype

The reality was many women could not be the stay-at home moms.

 Necessity to work  With skills and an education – DESIRE to work

Education and Employment

1950: Only 25% of liberal arts graduates were women.

1970: 43% were women

Most employers were

“

reluctant

”

to hire women.

 Felt the investment in them was wasted since they would leave to marry and have children.

 Felt a woman “ catch ” ’ s place was in the home. Work to a husband.

 Felt customers/ fellow employees would be “ uncomfortable ” with women in authority.

Wages were unequal

1963: women earned 59-cents to every dollar a man made.

1973: Women earned 57-cents to every dollar a man made!

Frustration of women that wanted equal rights!

Had a “ how-to ” model with the Civil Rights Movement But often treated as second-class citizens in the Civil Rights Movement.

Used courts to get equality at work.

 EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Women

’

s Groups Organize

Support Groups NOW (National Organization of Women)  1966  Pressure govt. and EEOC to take women ’ s issues more seriously.

NOW

Sought fair pay and equal job opportunities.

Attacked sexist attitudes in media and advertising.

Sought to educate people that parenting and house responsibilities are for men and women.

NOW

Seen by some as too radical  Particularly under Gloria Steinem Seen as not active for poor women or women of color.

 Mainly white, middle class women issues

Impact of Feminism

1972: MS magazine 300,000 copies sold in 8 days.

A Shift In Attitudes

Shirley Chisolm – ran for president in 1972.

 Went down in primaries.

1984 Geraldine Ferraro was first woman nominated for vice president (Democrat)

A Shift in Attitudes

Brought public awareness to the need for childcare facilities.

Shelters for battered women  Better law enforcement Women ’ s health concerns Sexual harassment

Roe v. Wade

NOW pointed out the different laws restricting abortion through the country.

Rich women who had an unwanted pregnancy could just travel to another state.

But what about poor women?

US Supreme Court Roe v. Wade

1973 Said abortion laws were restrictive against poor women.

 Invaded privacy of women.

 IMPORTANT:   No restrictions in the first trimester of pregnancy.

BUT later pregnancies could be regulated by the states.

Roe v. Wade today

STILL quite controversial!

ERA: Equal Rights Amendment

Attempt to change the Constitution to say that discrimination based on sex was illegal.

  Needed 38 states to ratify the amendment to become national law.

They made it to 35.

 Nebraska ratified it and then changed their mind and de-ratified ERA.

 Only state to do that.

Opposition to the Women

’

s Movement

Phyllis Schlafly “ It won ’ t do anything to help women and it will take away from women the rights they already have.

”

Opposition to ERA

“ as the right of a wife to be supported by her husband, the right of a woman to be exempted from military combat and the right … to go to a single-sex college.

”

Schlafly

’

s rhetoric

Women would lose alimony.

Women would have to have co-ed bathrooms.

Women being in the military.

It did the job of scaring women and ended ERA.

Opposition to the Women

’

s Movement

Some women felt ERA would force them from their traditional roles. Some men also protested feminism.

Latinos Fight for Change

Latinos lived in many parts of the US before whites arrived. (California, Texas, N. Mexico, Arizona) But were frequently denied equal rights and lost their land.

Latino Population

1970: 14.9 million Americans originating from Central / South America.

1960s: Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled Fidel Castro.

Chicanos

Mexican Americans 1960s:

El Movimiento Chicano

 Movement to end discrimination in education, employment and the legal system.

Cultural Identity

1968: 10,000 Mexican – American students walked out of their schools.

Demand for culturally sensitive courses, better facilities and Latino teachers and counselors.

Organizing to Fight Discrimination

Union: United Farm Workers.

1965: 1,700 members Leader: Cesar Chavez  1927 – 1993    Normal life until 10.

After military service became a union leader.

Used MLK ’ s nonviolent methods.

Cesar Chavez

Organized national boycotts of   Grapes Lettuce Wanted better wages, safer working conditions, union recognition by owners of fields.

Other Chicano Movements

Political power with

La Raza Unida

in 1970.

 Elected Chicanos to government  Advocated for better housing and jobs.

 Encouraging Latinos to become lawyers

Asian Americans Fight Discrimination

Even though Asian Americans typically had better educations, they were paid less.

  White man paid $51 Chinese man paid $38  Japanese man paid $43

Asian Americans fight for Economic and Political Advancement

Japanese American citizens League (JACL)  Sought reparations and apology for Japanese American internment in WWII.

 Took until 1988 for the US to do that!

Asian Americans fight for Economic and Political Advancement

When Hawaii became a state in 1959,   Hiram Leong Fong first Chinese American sent to the Senate.

Daniel K. Inouye – first Japanese American in Congress