From Femininity to Feminism
by Prof. Hangen - March 26th, 2011
No presentations this week, because our Exam #2 will be on Friday, wrapping up our unit on social history as women’s history.
On Monday and Wednesday we’ll discuss the women’s movement and radical feminism in the 1960s. Here are some terms you may want to define for yourself and some people you should know –
Betty Friedan and her book, the 1963 Feminine Mystique – by the way, it is getting some new press, with a recent book out by Stephanie Coontz about the impact of Friedan 47 years ago (see, for example, Coontz’s interview on NPR Fresh Air in January). For other reflections on Friedan’s book, see this story in the Atlantic Magazine from 1999, or the original New York Times review of the book from 1963.
Gloria Steinem
“Second Wave” feminism (what was the first wave? are we in the third wave?)
Women’s liberation
Feminism
NOW (National Organization for Women)
Roe v. Wade
ERA
Phyllis Schlafly
Angela Davis
Barbara Smith/ Combahee River Collective
(If you have the Zinn book – this is Chapter 19)
The reading for Wednesday‘s discussion is a packet of 8 documents from the women’s movement ranging from 1966 to 1977. It can be found ON THE COURSE BLACKBOARD under the Assignments tab or from the link on the Announcements page. Please read it before class, and either print it (24 pages) or bring your laptops to access it for our class discussion.
If you’re interested in some of these topics for your research paper, try these for primary sources about second wave feminism:
Washington Women’s History Consortium
Notes from the First Year, Radical Women 1968
No More Miss America! (1968) – more on the Miss America protest here and here
How Feminism Works (from HowStuffWorks.com)
