1. What is liberal feminism?

In what ways does NOW represent this version of

feminism? How does it compare with women’s liberation?

Liberal feminism is the modern form of feminism insisting on women’s equal

rights. NOW, or the National Organization for Women, represents this version of
feminism represents this version of feminism by covering a wide range of goals,
from promoting, “women’s political and economic rights” to “drawing attention to
abortion rights, child care, and equal educational and economic opportunity.”
(625). Liberal feminism draws parallels to the women’s liberation movement of
the 1960s to 1970s as the women’s liberation sought freedom from the
oppression that came from social structures and male supremacy.

2. How did women of color participate in the women’s movement of the 1960s and
1970s?

Women of color were active in the women’s movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
To illustrate, the Black Women’s Liberation Committee in 1968 wrote and
discussed, “about male chauvinism, reproductive freedom, and sexual
exploitation” and later included other women of color such as Puerto Ricans and
Asian American women during their transition into becoming the Third World
Women’s Alliance. Black women were also particularly active for welfare rights,
protesting against welfare benefit cuts due to false stereotypes, degrading
inspections through home visits and moral tests, and poverty by creating
numerous “local welfare rights organizations such as Los Angeles Aid to Needy
Children (ANC), Mothers Anonymous, and Milwaukee’s Welfare Rights
Organization.” (638). Latina women pointed out flaws within their culture for
following machismo, which supported patriarchal structures and gender
designated labor. It is due to internal culture that created criticisms for Chicana
activists who created rights groups such as the Hijas de Cuauhtémoc or holding
the National Chicana Conference, for not being a true Chicana and following
Anglo or white supported feminism. Asian American women were active in
creating organizations that supported the Asian American movement and
dispelled, “challenging insidious stereotypes of Asian women.” (640). Finally,
Native American women were involved by participating in activism that drew
attention to, “the historic oppression of Native Americans” (641). They also
participated in the 1977 National Women’s Conference to voice their protest
against medical experiments on women of color and reproductive rights.

3. What was the impact of feminism on the workplace, education, and reproductive
rights and sexuality?

Feminism has had a great positive impact onto the workplace, education,
reproductive rights and sexuality. In the workplace, the passing of the 1963 Equal
Pay Act and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights act created the EEOC which is
aimed to enforce laws that target discrimination or harassment in the workplace.
Other examples include the Pregnancy Discrimination Act which protected
 pregnant women against workplace discrimination and Nixon’s authorized
affirmative action in hiring which allowed the Supreme Court to “rule that legal
discrimination by gender was unconstitutional” (645). In education, Title IX is
required for students, teaching them about sex discrimination and how to act
against it. Women’s perspective within education also shifted as there was new
material on the history of women and a reevaluation on gendered subjects. For
reproductive rights and sexuality, women’s autonomy was supported through
literature such as Our Bodies, Ourselves and passed abortion laws.

4. In what ways did the goals of feminism of the 1960s and 1970s become part of
mainstream American life?

The goals of feminism of the 1960s and 1970s became part of mainstream
American life as the principle ideas of freedom from society driven oppression
and male and female equality in all aspect continues.

5. Making Connections The text states on page 658, “It might seem that feminism
caused the deep economic and social changes in American women’s lives, but it
is more accurate to say that it resulted from them.” What were those changes
and how did they impact the development of 1960s feminism?

The changes that impacted the development of 1960s feminism was the
reevaluation on what freedom meant for women. This led to a revitalized
activism into supporting women’s economic and political equality, shifted
ideas of a women’s conventional role, and a newfound liberation of female
control over a woman’s own body.