The Women's Equity Action League (NOW)

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The second feminist movement, which took place during the 1960s and 1970s, changed women’s rights and roles within society in the United States. There were multiple influences that motivated women to participate in gaining equal rights. Even though there were great things to come from the movement structures within were not as effective and more efforts could have been made. Women within the movement and the movement as a whole accomplished many goals in attaining equality but more might have been done. World War II and its affects heavily influenced the women’s movement decades later. During World War II, women had to step up and work since a large portion of the male population was overseas. When troops returned women went back to a more …show more content…

“The qualities of intimacy, support, and virtual structurelessness made the small group a brilliant tool for spreading the movement” (Evans, “Personal Politics” 215). Having these small groups allowed for more inclusion of members and their ideals considering larger groups could not handle the amount of participation from members. The National Organization for Women (NOW) became so large it had trouble representing everyone’s view of what the organization should be working towards. The Women’s Equity Action League (WEAL) was formed in 1968 when NOW decided to endorse the legalization of abortion. Some members within NOW did not support the decision, “fearing such a position would interfere with their primary interest in employment and education discrimination” so WEAL was formed (Evans, “Tidal Wave” 25). The fear from a new group in forming is division of the movement. Elizabeth Boyer, a WEAL attorney, stated to NOW that WEAL would not compete for members but try to attain new ones (Evans, “Tidal Waves” …show more content…

This one demographic was the main voice of the movement but it did not accurately represent everyone who supported women’s rights. Minority groups were barely represented. Black women were very active in the civil rights movement even though they were often given the clerical jobs and never leadership positions. They put their fight for racial rights before gender for several reasons. First white women thought that black women would take over the meetings and say they had been even more oppressed not just because of their gender but also race. Black women saw the movement as more white. They didn’t want to divide their support from civil rights to be represented by just white women with white women issues (Evans, “Tidal Wave” 33). There were a few black feminist organizations set up but the racial barrier was never crossed to unite as one movement for the same cause: equality.
Hispanic women were not well represented also. They blossomed as an organization in the 1970s when journals were published and conferences were held (Evans, “Tidal Wave” 32). They were well organized in that they set agendas and had workshops but they were not comfortable like other minority groups in joining the women’s movement. Asian American and American Indian women also formed groups. They were not as successful in changing policies but it gave those women an opportunity to find a community that would support

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