The Impact of the Women’s Rights Movement on American Society

From sixties' revolution to modern evolution, women's rights journey forward, claiming equality mile by milestone. Issues commonly associated with women's rights include the rights to bodily integrity, freedom from sexual violence, voting, entering legal contracts, fair wages or equal pay, reproductive rights, property ownership, and education. The Women's Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s has significantly altered the course of history for women in America, paving the way for substantial changes. Through this movement, traditional gender roles have been challenged and reshaped, making a profound impact on American society.

Historical Context

Before the dawn of the Women's Rights Movement, women were largely regarded as mere pawns in a societal chess game. They were denied the right to vote and lacked property rights; husbands had legal power over their wives as well as child custody. Women were restricted to certain jobs and were underpaid. The barriers to gaining an education were numerous, and women were ultimately robbed of their respect and confidence by being made to fully depend on men. This list barely scratches the surface of how women were suppressed in those times. When we reflect on "back in the day," we often forget that this behavior and mindset were prevalent not so long ago.

Equality and the American Dream

Equality is one of the original foundations of the American Dream. Jim Cullen, author of *The American Dream*, stated, "That's because the American Dream depends on it. At some visceral level, virtually all of us need to believe that equality is one of the core values of everyday American life, that its promises extend to everyone. If they don't, then not everybody is eligible for the American Dream" (Cullen, 108). Cullen emphasizes the importance of equality in achieving the American Dream, a dream that built this nation to be one of the best in the world, reminding us of the core values that got us here. Second-wave feminism of the Women's Rights Movement was significant in the 1960s and '70s because it introduced substantial changes in sexuality, family, and the work environment for women. During this period, birth control pills were approved, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act to prevent discrimination in the workplace, sex discrimination in schools was banned, legal abortion was achieved, and marital rape laws were enacted. Women were on a successful streak to achieve their goal of equality, organizing rallies, marches, organizations, and securing representation, while gathering a large supporting force consisting of both women and men.

The Equal Rights Amendment

After achieving multiple victories, the next goal was to secure equality through the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment). This amendment was proposed to the Constitution to ensure equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex, aiming to bridge the gap between men and women. The amendment received strong traction and was ratified by Congress as well as 34 other states. However, the ERA never made it past the constitutional threshold because it was not approved by three states and failed to pass the 38-state majority rule. This marked a significant setback to the movement's goals and shocked many people, as it was presumed to have passed due to the traction it received from millions of Americans. This failure stood in the way of a large number of Americans and their pursuit of the American Dream, ultimately preventing them from achieving the American Dream of equality in upward mobility. Jim Cullen's claim about the dream was that equality is necessary for the American Dream to truly exist and that all Americans must have equal access to opportunities that would allow them to achieve their dreams.

Opposition and Challenges

It was hard to believe that the ERA had failed to pass, and it left many wondering why some individuals would not agree to stand by equality for both sexes. The truth is that not everybody felt the same way about the movement, and like everything in life, there are always two sides to a story regardless of whether the cause is considered "right" or "wrong." There is no doubt that the movement has improved the livelihood of many Americans by creating a stable foundation, fostering unity, and contributing to the overall development of America by its citizens working together to create a promising present and future for the nation.

However, the movement faced backlash from those who did not support the cause entirely. Some were skeptical about the idea that biological differences between men and women could be disregarded through socialization. Some men felt it was unfair to be "punished" for being male, especially regarding their physicality and competitive nature. Others argued that it would be unjust if men and women were paid equally regardless of their profession or the time, effort, and ability required to do the job. The changing roles of sexes led to a dramatic increase in divorce rates, leaving more children to be born without married parents. The main contention, however, was the idea that some feminists themselves might be the cause of their own hardships, such as slut-shaming. Although men are often guilty of it, women are more likely to slut-shame each other than men, resulting in many of the issues raised by women being considered as "made-up" by themselves. Leslie Stephen, author of the journal article "Social Equality," stated, "Make every man equal today and the old inequalities will reappear tomorrow. Pitch such a one over London Bridge, it was said, with nothing on but his breeches, and he will turn up at Woolwich with his pockets full of gold. But surely it may be urged that this is as much a reason for declining to believe that equal conditions of life will produce mere monotony as for insisting that equality in any state is impossible."

The Broader Scope of the Movement

According to Jonathan Wolff's book *Social Equality*, theorists of social equality argue that the inspiration behind egalitarianism is not the idea of the equalization of some currency of justice, but the idea of a society in which all regard and treat each other as equals. The Women's Rights Movement was not solely focused on equality for women. While fighting for equality for women was perhaps their main objective, their fight was larger than that. The movement was based around social equality in general, as well as economic and political equality. They fought for equal outcomes for men and women and people of different classes, races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and so on. They fought for what America had promised them, the dream of equal opportunity for all. Judith A. Baer makes a powerful point about the equality of all in general. In her book, *Equality in the American Context*, she writes, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that when any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, laying its foundations upon such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall be most likely to affect their safety and happiness."

Conclusion

While some argue that social equality is an issue that can be addressed to a considerable extent, others argue that there will never be complete equality for all. Despite the persistence of social inequality, it is undeniable that the Women's Rights Movement has made an incredibly positive impact in America. This impact has not only helped women in America but men in general. We have witnessed growth in social, political, and economic equality throughout the struggle, and we remain hopeful that such improvement will continue. The groundwork laid by the movement serves as a foundation for creating a more equitable and inclusive future for all, ensuring that the promise of the American Dream extends to every individual, regardless of gender or background.

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