What was the purpose of Women’s Liberation Movement?

Introduction 

The women liberation movement was formed to fight for freedom and reduce the level of oppression of women by men. During this period, America experienced complexity changes building different movements to assist people in recovering from anxiety and repercussions of the cold war and fear of atomic bomb. The campaign aimed at liberating women from the kind of treatment they received from society and create an opportunity for involvement in public and work activities (Bloom & Breines, 1995). This group created solidarity among women bound together by shared ideas that they intended to use in fighting the oppressive government and society, especially on women. It was recognized to be the feminist movement over time, and they played an essential role in assisting women in understanding life beyond the home compound, obeying men, and child care. This paper illustrates the role played by the women’s liberation movement and its achievements in the 1960s. 

In the 1960s, America like any other country focused on exercising masculinity, especially in jobs. The society undermined the efforts that women applied in fighting the enemies during the cold war recognizing only individuals who played a direct role in the war. Women used to take food to the fighters and warriors who engaged the enemies. However, the end of the cold war formed the basis for labor division with men taking active roles in political and other formal jobs. Women activities remained tied in the home compound as they were associated with cleaning, preparing, and caring for children and husband (Friedan, 2010). During this period, women accepted their status, and they rarely complained about their husbands on open levels. Women took the status quo of this period, and they remained committed to performing housework while men actively participated in office duties and participating in politics. Exploitation continued until some group of women in the region formed the women’s liberation movement rebelling against such kind of treatment of the feminine by the men. 

Women also faced challenges because they were not allowed to accumulate wealth and capital. The idea of capitalism had emerged, and it remained a sole responsibility for men to possess material wealth and take care of the family by providing basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothes. Though women engaged in some farm activities, they practiced subsistence farming because the society remained oppressive and reluctant in allowing women to explore the world beyond the home compound. Such rules prevented women from engaging in activities such as performing commercial farming as well as seeking market for their produce. The women’s liberation movement referred to the operations performed by women as dirty chores. They involved activities such as buying groceries, washing them, cutting and preparing meals for the family. These duties discouraged women from having careers 

Based on the image that society had on women, it is evident that it translated to feminine denial to access education because of forced marriages. The law and society undermined the rules and regulations that would liberate women from the challenges they faced in the hands of men. For instance, whenever girl children engaged in sexual activities and became pregnant, they were forced to get married, and there existed no rights guaranteeing the purveyor of the incidence to take care of the child. It became a sole responsibility for women to play an active role in supporting their child. In effect, it became a challenging aspect in life with men increasingly engaging in sexual activities and living the burden for the lady. For instance, women had little knowledge about contraceptives and abortion remained illegal in America (Susan, 1970). In the abortion testimonial, “the woman says that she had not experienced know-how regarding involvement in a love relationship, but she remained unprepared for the parent-child relationship. She gave birth only because she did not have knowledge about using contraceptives and her mother failed to provide money to seek abortion in Japan” (430). In effect, the women’s liberation movement focused on fighting to help the government and the society in understanding the role of some women rights to avoid these challenges. 

Despite the fighting of the rights of women, the women’s liberation movement also recognized the importance of creating the notion that women and men in the society had regarding sex. They knew the perception that sex was based on barter where women whether married or unmarried accepted that they need to have a sexual relationship with men if they never provided for basic needs or gave something in return for sexual engagement (Susan, 1969). This notion created an opportunity for people to think that women are sexual objects in society. In the 1960s, there is existed limited knowledge about the existence of activities that they participated in life, and it became challenging for women to survive in the absence of men. Men believed that with the wealth they could have sex with any woman given the hypocritical interest in sex that women had in life. Though the women’s liberation movement comprised of women who had this notion, it is undeniable that majority of women in the society remained uninterested in changing their life because they remained used to this form of exploitation. 

Despite the compliance by women in the kind of treatment they received from men in America during the 1960s period, it is evident that the women’s liberation movement created some changes especially in the perception of women in the society. The first achievement of the campaign is the introduction of a new economic system in the nation with increased concern for women to have access to industrial goods. The women’s liberation movement did not focus on overthrowing men from their economic status, but they needed to increase opportunities for women in occupying such position by encouraging selection to be made on merit rather than gender (Steinem, 1970). Through this process, liberal women argued that there would be, “access to good jobs and better pay for the bad jobs they have been performing such as housework” (Steinman 422). The effectiveness of this movement reflects through the ability of women in America to have increased access to education as well as occupying positions in the workplace. The effects of the women’s liberation movement are also experienced in modern society where women work in big organizations and others engage in paid housework. 

Changes in economic accessibility by women would also result in a change in women’s participation in politics in the United States. Based on changes that have taken place across the world, it is evident that the women’s liberation movement played an essential role in altering the perception that people had on the ability of women to play an active role in politics. The underlying idea is that the notion that the perception that victory and viability in politics depend on violence in the streets (Susan, 1970). Women liberation movement believed that the various problems experienced by people in the community were perpetrated by the idea that manhood depends on violence and increased interest in participating in politics. As a result, changing this notion and encouraging women to participate in politics would result in changes in the community thus making it easy for half of the women to be representatives in politics in America. These changes in the political sphere have diffused to other countries since the year 1960 thus increasing an opportunity for women to play an active role in politics. 

Despite the effort of the women’s liberation movement, it is evident that there existed some challenges in an attempt of the group to achieve its objectives. For instance, the campaign focused on establishing a situation where there is equality between men and women especially in the economic status and performing home chores. However, the effectiveness of the movement only revealed through the increased participation of women in political and paid jobs, but they end up playing most of the home duties in society. Liberal women contribute to this continued difference by remaining unresponsive to performing tasks such as taking of the family by buying food and paying rent. There is also the issue of resistance from the majority of men who exercise passive resistance to in assisting ladies in performing home duties. For instance, they say, “I have no issue against sharing the housework, but you cannot make me do it according to your schedule,” (Mainard 432). Despite the challenges, it is evident that the movement has made some changes in life. 

Conclusion 

The women liberation movement of the 1960s focused on fighting for freedom and liberation of women against the oppression by men in society. During these periods, it is undeniable that the feminine remained under control of the masculine. They were recognized as sexual objects and remained tied to house chores without exploring the world in politics and economic participation. In effect, the women Liberation Movement fought for women rights, and they achieved changes as there is a notable increase in the number of women playing an active role in politics and involvement in formal job opportunities. Despite these achievements, there still exist some challenges as women have the notion that they do not have to provide for the family while men create passive resistance in assisting women for their house duties. 

References 

Bloom, A., & Breines, W. (1995). 'Past as Prologue': The 1950s as an Introduction to the 1960s. Takin'It to the Streets": A Sixties Reader. Ed. Alexander Bloom and Wini Breines. New York: Oxford UP, 3-16. 

Friedan, B. (2010). The feminine mystique. WW Norton & Company. 

Friedan, B. (2018). The Problem that Has No Name. Penguin Classics. 

Mainardi P. (1980). Radical Women: The Politics of Housework, 431-434 

Steinem, G. (1970). What it would be like if women win. Time, 31, 22-25. 

Susan B. (1970). Our Bodies, Our Sexuality: An Abortion Testimonial, 444-445. 

Susan, B. (1969). Radical Women: About my consciousness raising. 429-431