The second wave of feminism started in the United Stated in the early 1960’s. Whereas the first wave focused on political rights and women’s suffrage, the second wave’s main focus was on a wide spectrum of issues like: sexuality, equal pay and opportunities as men, reproductive rights and other inequalities. Though in some Europe countries women still lacked the right to vote, Switzerland women obtained the right to vote federally in 1971, and in Liechtenstein, 1984. The second wave of feminism was mostly revolved around domestic issues/personal issues of women. Feminists campaigned for the change in family laws: husbands had control over their wives. Women wanted to break free from the cookie-cutter, repeated flat-line life. The expectations of a women at the time was to be married by 30, have kids and devote yourself to only your husband and children, and housework. Women expected nothing in lives like this. And the laws at the time had no help either. Since women at the time rarely had a “professional job”, they had to rely on their husband’s pay, which legally the women still had no title to. Even if the women did have a job, the husbands controlled the pay anou and property owned. The law was basically a male dominance role in households. Women were at the bottom of the food chain. But they slowly rose up to be treated equal with men through movements.

 

Throughout the second wave of feminism movement, women with the help of some men worked hard to have their voices be heard. President John F. Kennedy’s administration prioritized women’s rights as a part of the New Frontier, pointing women (such as Esther Peterson) to high rank positions in his administration. He also established the Presidential Commision on the status of Women, a committee concerning the status and issue of women’s right. A notable member of the PCSW was Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of late Franklin D. Roosevelt, she was the chair of the PCSW. The 20 members that made up this committee were prominent activists in women’s rights issues, the committee’s main priority was to monitor various employment policies meant for women. They also investigated equality surrounding women’s education and legal rights, finding out labour laws related to work hours and wages, the needed-attention in education and other factors that contributed to women’s income. When conducting the research, the committee found that discrimination to women in the workplace was indeed present, leading to some possible accommodations/recommendations such as affordable child care that fit all income levels, paid maternity leave and letting women know that they have equal opportunities.

 

In 1963 author Betty Friedan published her book “The Feminine Mystique”, which was a success and a best seller. It was thought that her powerful work in this book laid out the foundation for the second feminist movement. Her words captivated and spoke the truth of a daily (unhappy) American housewife and women. In the same year this stellar novel was released, the U.S after 20 years it was brought up, made the Equal Pay Act law, making women and men working for the same wage at the same job. Though at first this law did not extend to executives, administrators, salespeople and other professionals, in 1972 the law branched out to cover these professions/employees. Betty Friedan also went on to form/found the National Organization for Women with a group of men and women, she was the first resident of the group which achieved many great things during the second wave, that focused around women’s civil rights.

 

On Mother’s Day, NOW spoke with a slogan for women all over the world that celebrated this holiday: “Rights, Not Roses”. In 1967 NOW began petitioning the EEOC to end sex-segregated ads and started a Bill of Rights for Women. After NOW was formed and became one of the biggest and more supported groups more feminist activist groups in America were formed and rose up to make themselves visible during the second wave. More women started speaking out about the right they deserved regarding education, family, abortion, equality, workplace and etc. Their efforts and voice later came through, through government action, August 26th became the Women’s Equality Day in 1971.

 

In 1974, 5 male-only colleges at University of Oxford opened their admissions to women also, in 1973 abortion was made legal in the U.S, also in 1974 The Women’s Educational Equality Act was formed to promote equality in education for American girls and women and to eliminate any discrimination a girl may feel towards her education. Then one of the final acts in this era in America was the Take Back the Night protest and 1978 the Pregnancy Discrimination Act which forbids workplace and employment discrimination toward women who are pregnant, or planning to start a family. This law banned employers from firing the women simply for being pregnant of denying her a job offer of promotion.

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Take Back The Night originated in the U.S, feminists used this title as a way to protest against rape, sexual assault and other violence directed at women. One of the first marches/rallies using this title was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in October 1975; formed to bring awareness to the violence women face and the reality of it, like the death of Susan Alexander Speeth who was stabbed to death while walking home at night. The protest didn’t stay contained in the U.S but spread internationally to places such as Belgium, who holds an annual “Reclaim The Night” protest, another march was held in Rome in 1976, as a reaction to the rape statistics released and in England in 1977, feminists rallied to protest against the “Yorkshire Ripper” and the murders committed by him. Though this march’s purpose is to bring awareness about violence against women, everybody can attend, whether you are a survivor of sexual assault (men included), a bystander, a witness, a relative of a victim, or you are just there to support. The founders of the Take Back The Night foundation include the many American women who participated and started up some of the first Take Back The Night protests and now want to support the many events that come with this title to it.

 

In Europe though, some women were having a harder time establishing these rights, in France women were not allowed to work unless they had their husband’s permission to do so until 1965. But feminist activists fought hard during this movement and established some laws even before the hard working U.S feminist such as, abortion was made legal in 1967 in Britain. Then later on in 1968 a protest happened consisting of 850 sewing machinists in Dagenham, Britain, they went on a strike to bring awareness to the lack of equal pay and workplace discrimination. Their efforts lead to the passing of the Equal Pay Act 1970, one of the first legislations in the UK whose target was to end the line drawn between women's and a man’s. But was unfortunately not effective until 1975.

 

British women who were involved in the liberation movement met nationally for the first time at Ruskin’s College, then a year later the first women's liberation march took place in London. Then in 1975, as the successful second wave feminist movement was coming to a close, The UK took 4 big steps towards women equality: The Equal Pay Act began, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 which included statutory maternity leave and it being illegal to fire a woman because she is pregnant as well as the Equal Opportunities Commission coming into activity to monitor the Sex Discrimination Act and Equal Pay Act. Following that year The Domestic Violence Act settled as a law in Britain, something many women were hoping and fighting for. The law intact, allows women to go to court if a violent husband or partner is abusive. And on the topic of domestic violence, the first Rape Crisis Center was opened in London in 1977. This was all achieved by a number of powerful feminists and activists who have made a mark in today’s society.