The Continuing Fight For The Continuing Fight For EqualityEquality

How do other groups in America continue the struggle for equal rights

Feminism

• 1950: Betty Friedan raises the issue of depression among housewives in her book The Feminine Mystique

• Women realize they do not have equal responsibilities or opportunities in society! Feminist movement begins

Women Organize• 1966: National Organization for Women (NOW) forms• Goals: 1) Child care to allow women to work 2) end gender

discrimination in the workplace (175K members by 1970)• NOW protests Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. On the

AC boardwalk NOW throws bras, girdles, wigs at contestants• 1971: Gloria Steinem forms National Women’s Political Caucus

(moderate views) & starts Ms. Magazine (mainstream women’s issues)

Roe v. Wade (1972)• NOW becomes involved in a woman’s right to an abortion

• Norma McCorvey attempts to have an abortion but Texas only allows abortion in case of rape or incest

• McCorvey & NOW sue Dallas DA Henry Wade under the name of Jane Roe, case is appealed to the US Supreme Court

• Sup. Court rules 7-2 that a woman has the right to choose an abortion in first 3 mos of pregnancy, no matter circumstances

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

• 1972: Congress passes the Equal Rights Amendment – constitutional guarantee of gender equality, Nixon signs it

• Must now be approved by 3/4ths of states to become law

• Phyllis Schlafly starts conservative “stop-ERA campaign”

• Amendment fails, falls 3 states short http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2GhE3nf-o&safe=active

Stonewall Riots• Stonewall Inn in NY was one of the few bars that allowed

openly gay patrons• NYPD, who routinely raided gay bars to arrest the patrons,

raided Stonewall Inn in June of 1969• Crowd gathered at Stonewall, begin to fight back against police,

riot ensues• Gays and police clash throughout 1970, Gays & Lesbians begin

to fight for equal rights

Milk Fights For Gay Rights

• As Gays advocate for equal rights, Conservative America responds w/ anti-gay laws

• Singer Anita Bryant got behind a movement to repeal a law that made it illegal to discriminate against homosexuals

• In San Francisco, Harvey Milk became the countries first openly gay elected official• In public speeches Milk challenged Bryant and others who were trying to pass new laws, like Prop 6 in California• Milk was killed by a disgruntled SF Supervisor Dan White, who resigned and could not get his job back