October 7th: Second Wave Feminism Study Notes

Today's topic: Second Wave Feminism
Contextual significance: Response to traditional gender roles evident in trends like the 'trad wife' trend.

Mention of traditional wife trend seen on TikTok and other social media platforms.
Traditional wife movement promotes women embracing domestic roles, echoing 1950s family ideals.
Key themes of the trend:
- Emphasis on domestic responsibilities (cooking, cleaning, child-rearing).
- Reinforces beauty standards and conservative gender roles.
- Involves right-wing ideologies about women's roles as dependent on men.

Importance of understanding the transitions in women's roles from the 1950s to the 1960s and beyond.
The 1950s was characterized by conservative views on the nuclear family:
- Men as breadwinners; women as homemakers.
- Strong societal pressure for conformity to traditional gender roles.
Examples of discrimination against women post-World War II:
- Women could not retain maiden names upon marriage.
- Restricted financial rights; husbands needed to approve financial transactions.
- Job losses upon pregnancy.
- Low representation in prestigious professions (e.g., medicine, law, engineering).

Late 1960s marked the rise of the women's rights movement.
Contrasts the fixed gender roles of prior decades with the push for gender equality.
Main concerns of second wave feminists:
- Legal recognition of women's rights in the workplace.
- Advocacy for intersectionality and representation within the feminist movement.

Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (1961):
- Established by John F. Kennedy.
- Chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt.
- The commission exposed widespread discrimination against women.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964:
- Initially included gender-based protections as a diversion but was passed and recognized women as a protected class.
Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique (1963):
- Critiqued the idea of women's fulfillment being tied solely to domesticity.
- Highlighted the dissatisfaction of women in traditional roles.

Feminism defined by several components:
- Opposition to sex-based hierarchies.
- Recognition of socially constructed gender roles.
- Efforts to mobilize women collectively.
Different branches of feminist thought:
- Liberal Feminism: Focus on legal reforms and inclusion of women in the public sphere.
- Founded organizations like NOW (National Organization for Women).
- Key figures included Betty Friedan.
- Radical Feminism: Critiques legal equality solutions; focuses on dismantling patriarchy.
- Emphasizes women's subordination at home.

Overview of the National Organization for Women (NOW):
- Founded in 1966; focused on gender discrimination.
- Advocated for issues like equal pay and the right to engage in politics.
- Organized significant protests, including the Women’s Strike for Equality in August 1970.
Key demands included:
- Universal childcare.
- Right to safe and legal abortions.
- Equality in employment and education.

Acknowledged the limits of liberal feminism; emphasized direct action.
Emphasized the oppressive impacts of patriarchy beyond legal barriers.
Examples of radical feminist actions:
- The Miss America protest in 1968, symbolically rejecting women's objectification.
- The establishment of counter-institutions (e.g., health clinics, rape crisis centers).
Notable organizations: New York Radical Women, Red Stockings.

Critiques of mainstream feminism from women of color and LGBTQ+ individuals:
- Women of color argued that mainstream feminism largely ignored racial complexities within the experience of femininity.
- Example: High representation of white women within organizations like NOW contrasted with the low representation of women of color.
Responses from these groups:
- Formation of organizations focused on intersectional identities (Black Women’s Alliance, Los Adelitas de Aztlán).

Recognition of the exclusion of certain female identities within mainstream feminism.
Particularly noted were the experiences of lesbian women, who often clashed with the ideologies of traditional feminist organizations.
Notable events pushing for LGBTQ+ recognition (e.g., Martha Shelley’s activism within NOW).

The second wave of feminism reshaped the landscape of gender inequality through legal and societal changes.
Resulted in increased participation of women in workforce and professional roles.
Continued challenges and critiques, especially surrounding inclusivity and intersectionality, highlight ongoing struggles in the feminist movement.
Future discussions to include the backlash against women's liberation movements in subsequent decades, including anti-feminist movements in the 1980s.

Midterm date: Next Tuesday.
Format: Short answer questions and one short essay.
Guidelines:
- One page of handwritten notes allowed.
- Focus on key terms and themes discussed throughout the lectures.
- Will incorporate knowledge from both lectures and readings, requiring synthesis of information.