Makers: Women Who Make America - Essay Example

Lecturer Makers: Women Who Make America Makers: Women Who Make America represent the documentary film that illustrates women equality struggles in the United States. The women equality struggles are illustrated based on happenings in the late 20th century (Last five decades) (Groer 8). Meryl Streep narrated the film, and Public Broadcasting service distributed the film; as a three part television documentary covering three hours, in February 2013. The film comprises interview sessions with women from every social class.

For example, political personalities like Hillary Clinton, and television stars like Oprah Winfrey. The first section of the film illustrates the 1950s and the 1960s; this is referred to as awakening. This builds on the impact of The Feminine Mystic developed by Betty Friedan in 1963; and illustrates significance of women in America. Katherine Wsitzer, a college student, participates in the Boston Marathon, and hence challenges the competition’s ban on women participants. The second part, referred to as “changing the world” happens during the 1970s.

The part discusses sexual revolution and also the abortion debate. The third aspect of the film illustrates women events in the 1980s and the 1990s. The issues discussed in this part include; violence against women, sexual harassment, women workforce, and the Supreme Court nomination of Clarence Thomas (Groer 12). Betty Friedan influence development of the second wave feminism. She questioned the notion that women should be contended with being a wife and mother (Rose 26). The housewives hence realized that doing housework is not entirely fulfilling.

Marlo Thomas played the character, in 1966, of Ann Marie in That Girl. The ABC series represented the first American Sitcom that illustrated an independent single woman. Katherine Switzer, a student at Syracuse University in 1967, had an interest in participating in athletics. However; the college did not have a female track team. Switzer was inspired to participate in the Boston Marathon, by men’s coach. Women were not encouraged to take part in long distance running. This is due to the concerns that running damages reproductive organs of females.

Switzer registered for the competition as K. V. Switzer, thereby challenging the all male criteria in athletics. Gloria Steinem illustrated that huge societal change is illustrated when majority of individuals realize that inequality is unjust, and that individual talents exists in all human beings. Through the powerful and intimate interviews with women achievers, known or unknown, the viewers are given great illustrations on opinions or views of women pioneers in the specified fields (Groer 45).

Directed by America’s major independent film makers, Makers generates new life and great unforgettable experiences that every person, male or female, should understand. PBS announced, on 21st January 2014, six episode series of Makers Season 2. Each episode illustrates different career fields, with examples of women pursuing those fields (Rose 18). The series is expected to premier, 30st September 2014. Each episode studies the effects of women’s movement in six major fields previously closed to women.

These fields are; politics, space, Hollywood, comedy, war, and business. Works CitedGroer, Annie. "Fifty years of feminism in Makers: Women Who Make America". The Washington Post. February 25, 2013. Rose, Charlie. "Makers: Women Who Make America". Charlie Rose. February 25, 2013. Print.