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This is the conclusive part of a three-part series examining the history of feminist movements in the United States and the impact of that movement on American society. The first part examined the early history of women's place in society. Part two examined the 19th century up until the formation of the first Women's Rights associations and ended discussing the first widespread use of birth control, a pivotal tool in the struggle to transform women from being viewed as birthing machines. This article begins with the evolution of birth control devices in the 20th century.
A wide range of contraceptive devices and methods were tried. Some of the methods included abstaining from sex as much as possible, a bad idea because it often failed. Then there was the early withdrawal process. The withdrawal way during intercourse, which required a lot of control from the man, robbed the partners of much ecstasy, and with the rhythm method there could be a problem with the timing of ovulation. Then there were sponges, the use of douches and even condoms. The purpose of the rubber condom was both for birth control and to serve as a protective measure against sexually transmitted diseases. The diaphragm came about in the 1880's, which I think this was the most favored form of birth control until the 1950's. The 1960's brought the famous: "The Pill". The pill was followed by the "IUD", which I believe appeared around the 1920's, but it was in 1966 that it became a public phenomena. Not all were effective at preventing pregnancies. Many women would then resort to self-abortion, ingesting some potion made out of herbal medicine, or jumping down stairs, taking hot baths or performing strenuous lifting methods. Many of these women died, hemorrhaging from a miscarriage. Those who could afford it would go to an unscrupulous abortionist in New York City where there existed at least 200 of them in the 1870's. Even among the World of Society, I'm sure; there were secrets that have been brushed under the rug over the years.
On August 26, 1920, a constitutional amendment was adopted when Tennessee finally ratified it, granting full woman suffrage in all of the United States.
America's social scene was changing at a rapid pace, especially in the 1920's. It was a remarkable, dramatic era in all aspects. The economy was experiencing an upswing after World War I, which brought about many jobs that employed married women. These women worked for lesser wage than the men received. Nonetheless, most importantly, it was the decade of the appearance of the revolutionary Flapper girl, who joyously threw off chains of societal restriction, demanding sexual and personal freedom. She was the original free spirit, the modern woman. She smoked in public, a taboo, lived on her own, voted, drank booze with the boys, danced, and bobbed her hair. She also wore cosmetics, painted her lips bright red, and went to wild petting parties where she was sexually promiscuous. She was the first real example of the modern woman, one who could do anything that the men could. The Flapper defied all the rules of acceptable feminine behavior.
In 1921, the Lucy Stone League was founded. This organization, its members named the "Lucy Stoners" after the abolitionist and national woman's rights leader Lucy Stone, recommended that married women keep their maiden names, simply using the Mrs as a title. For example, Mrs. Lucy Stone. Lucy Stone did this with the consent of her husband, Henry Brown Blackwell.
With the failing economy of the Great Depression during the 1930's, unemployed hostile men began to complain that women were taking away their jobs, though these women were forced to work at a reduced income. Consequently, the married women were laid off from jobs that were relevant to them and not for men, resulting in more unemployment.
The emergence of World War II caused many transformations within the American work force, as well as for women themselves. President Roosevelt issued a directive for production in 1942, ordering 60,000 planes, 45,000 tanks, 20,000 antiaircraft guns and 8,000,000 deadweight tons of merchant shipping. This was merely the tip of the iceberg. New factories, shipyards, and defense plants, were being built. Wartime production created millions of new jobs. Women joined the workforce, replacing the men that enlisted or that were drafted into the war. Rosie the Riveter represented women laboring in manufacturing. The number of female factory workers doubled during the war. Opportunities to work in the federal government were available to the women, which many accepted. After the war, the men demanded their jobs back. Some of the women were ready to leave, and happily returned to their normal family life, which was disrupted by the war. Others were reluctant to accept unemployment. It was also a time when the government established a policy of "equal pay for equal employment", a major breakthrough for women.
The 50s provoked cultural prejudices when the presence of Gays and Lesbians were becoming apparent. Many of them were barred from federal, state and local government positions. A Lesbian organization by the name of Daughters of Bilitis, whose founders were Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, was established in 1955 in San Francisco.
Once the right to vote was granted, feminism was placed on the back burner over a barely visible flame until the modern Women's Liberation Movement of the 60's turned the heat up to full blast once again. This newer version of the Women's Liberation Movement was provoked by female college students who marched, picketed and demonstrated themselves as equals with the male students in militant Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam groups, but they did not perceive themselves as treated like equals.
Where society has always placed males as preeminent beings, women, whether heterosexual or Lesbian, have seen themselves differently. Nonetheless, apart from the male ideas of how a woman should look, feel, act or behave, a woman still must fight against the boldness of female oppression according to her own philosophy towards male/female relationships. Privileges and compensations given to heterosexual women are denied to Lesbians because they challenge male dominance. Thus, Lesbians are treated unfairly by the heterosexual people as inferior and are labeled as outcasts.
In order to survive, amongst a bigoted society, many Lesbians have availed themselves of the infamous "closet" to hide their gay identity, thus avoiding public ridicule and humiliation as well as rejection from family and friends. Then they decided to fight back in 1969 during the Stonewall Riot, which occurred at Greenwich Village in Manhattan, New York. Stonewall was the turning point for the gay rights movement, marking the beginning of a new concept of gay identity: Gay Pride versus gays in the closet. It was a travesty. Many homosexuals were tired of being pushed around. They decided to cooperate in many cases and fight for the rights that America owed them. By 1973, there were at least 70 gay and lesbian organizations that existed in the United States, organizing to fight for common rights they deserved but were not afforded. Today these unions number by the thousands.
During the 1970's, in protest of being merely sex symbols for men, women publicly burned their bras at a woman's rights rally, refusing to wear cosmetics and girdles as a way of proclaiming their right. The Equal Rights Amendment which was passed by Congress in 1972 forbade discrimination against women.
However, since then, through all the twists and turns that define women's history in the United States, women have come a long way in asserting their rights to freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and have resisted persecution in their struggle for economic independence. In seeking to remain independent, women have progressed remarkably in their endeavor to cause dramatic changes to their role in society. They have established different degrees of freedom and have fought through the years to create new forms of Legislation, demanding their rights be written into law.
Thus, we continue to struggle with our "Fight for Freedom", adding greater milestones to the voluminous pages of United States history and to the hallowed history of the Women's Liberation Movement. Where there is unity there is strength. So until, we meet again, I wish all of you the best of luck in your pursuits and much success. Freedom is not biased it belongs to us all. Sometimes, we just have to remind society of that fact.
With 12 years of research experience, History in all its manifestations is Miriam B. Medina's passion, and she loves nothing more than sharing what she learns with everyone, especially when it relates to the Women's Liberation Movement. So be sure to check it out at http://thehistorybox.com/, a one-stop resource center for writers, journalists, historians, teachers and students.
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