What is the Second Wave Feminist Movement?

It's pretty widely known that the first wave of feminism dealt with woman's suffrage—the right to vote, own property, etc. These things are more concrete and clear, so it's no wonder many people ask: what is the second wave feminist movement?

The second wave of feminism in America came as a reaction against the renewed domesticity of women after World War II. During the late 1940s post-war boom, there was an unprecedented economic growth, a baby boom, citizenry flocking to the suburbs, and a general Leave it to Beaver mentality of the American family. In short, women were expected to stay at home with the kids and support their husbands in almost anything he did.

Society was male centric, and it was clear women were considered the second sex in America. As the girls born during this era grew up, they began to rebel in various ways, specifically in the utilization of a social movement, starting sometime in the early 60s. What is the second wave feminist movement, and when exactly did it begin? It's a much more enveloping movement than the first one, but these concepts are most of the generally accepted hallmarks from that time.

New Frontier

At the 1960 Democratic National convention, President John F. Kennedy made women's rights a huge part of the New Frontier. The New Frontier was a progressive platform and the Democrat's agenda for much of the coming years. He placed many women into high-ranking posts throughout his administration and established a Presidential Commission on the Status of Women.

It was headed up by Eleanor Roosevelt and helped to actively engage women in politics. While not perfect in its design or execution, it helped get more women in positions of power and influence and, in many ways, was only the start of things that were still yet to come. Important to think about when considering the second wave feminist movement.

The Feminine Mystique

Considered the founding text of the second wave feminist movement, The Feminine Mystique was written by Betty Friedan in 1963. The thesis of the work was based on how poorly women were being treated in mainstream society, and how it was wrong to limit their possibilities and waste their potential.

Originally, she was asked to conduct an interview for her Smith College reunion, simply to find out how everyone was doing post college. What she found out disturbed her deeply. Friedan found that many of them were unhappy with their lives as housewives, causing her to begin her research into The Feminine Mystique, conducting interviews with many other suburban housewives, as well as doing a deep dive into psychology, advertising, and mass media.

It became a massive hit and a best-seller in 1964, selling over a million copies and challenging the status quo of the women's role in the nuclear family. She dubbed the widespread problems of women in the 50s and 60s as the "problem that has no name." Being boxed into a corner led to many women losing their identities, and it became a crucial text in the second wave feminist movement, with many people claiming it may have even sparked it.

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem is one of the most famous feminist writers of the 21st century and a lead figure in the second wave feminist movement. In 1963 Steinem gained widespread popularity among feminists after the article she wrote while working undercover as a Playboy Bunny waitress at the Playboy Club made headlines.

The piece chronicled the harsh mistreatment of women working in the club, and the lengths they were expected to go in keeping their customers happy. In the years that followed, she became one of the most well known figures and delivered some of the most memorable quotes, as she crusaded for women's rights tirelessly, rights that included legalizing abortion and government-funded day care.

Equal Pay Act of 1963

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was crafted to help put an end to the wage gap and gender inequality in the work place. It was signed into law by John F. Kennedy as part of his New Frontier Program. The law provides that an employer may not pay lower wages to employees of one gender than it pays to employees of the other gender, which designated the employees within the same establishment under equal work, at jobs that require equal skills.

Basically, same job, same pay—equal rights drove their very argument. While this didn't solve everything, it was a step in the right direction. The goal was to limit workplace discrimination and was seminal in the second wave feminist movement. It shrunk the gap, despite it currently still not quite reaching full equality.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII of the landmark Civil Rights act of 1964 was dedicated to equality for women of all races. The Supreme Court prohibited all types of workplace discrimination, including associating with other races and interracial marriages.

Women played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement, and it was an important part of second wave feminist movement.

Landmark Cases

In addition to those legal victories in the earlier half of the 60s, there were a few other cases that were won as a result of the second wave feminist movement. Griswold vs Connecticut is a landmark case in the United States in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution, through the Bill of Rights, implies a fundamental right to privacy.

It granted the right to marital privacy, and the state couldn't involve itself in private matters—such as restricting birth control and condoms to prevent pregnancy.

A few years later, Roe vs Wade was another big victory for the second wave feminist movement. The Supreme Court ruled seven to two that a right to privacy under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment extended to a woman's decision to have an abortion.

While there are no exact parameters, it is generally thought that the second wave feminist movement lasted until the 1980s, where Regan and company would slowly work to roll some of these wins back.