Opportunities for Emancipation: The American Women Experience - Term Paper Example

?Opportunities for Emancipation: The American Women Experience The emancipation of women in America has been a product of a long and arduous process.It was driven by the sparks and bursts of developments that have opened more and more opportunities for women. The determination of many personages, whose, actions, vision courage and persistence finally led to the breakthroughs that shattered the women’s inferior status in American society. Through the opportunities provided by several developments in history such as the progressive movement, the two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Universal Suffrage Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the advent of the media – women became emboldened and empowered to demand for equal rights and an end to gender discrimination. Introduction Today, with women occupying many high ranking positions at work both in the private and public sectors, it is difficult to imagine and contextualize a time in the past when they were confined to the household and generally restricted and discriminated upon when it comes to the issue of working and employment. It is even no longer fashionable to talk about the glass ceiling in the corporate ladder presently because many female executives are making waves in the corporate world. While, America is yet to see a female president, there is no shortage of powerful female politicians that became influential in Washington and overseas. It is, unarguably, the best time yet for American women to live, work, compete and achieve things for themselves. Looking back, the women of the past were not that lucky. They have to fight for equality and for the recognition that they, too, have rights and capabilities that can be as useful and meaningful as those of men’s. Remember the Ladies In the early years of the United States as a country, the first opportunity for change emerged. It was in search for the values, norms, identity and character that would define the nation. There are several notable women who made a difference and helped shape the course of the path that America took during these times. For instance, there is the case of the documented correspondence between John Adams and his wife, Abigail Adams, which demonstrated how Mrs. Adams led the women of her day to empower women and fight for their rights. In a letter dated March 31, 1776, she wrote her husband during the Continental Congress, which is on the process of drafting the Declaration of Independence. She reminded Adams that: I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. The correspondence did not reveal the extent of the impact of Abigail Adams’ admonitions. In the end, the Founding Fathers came up with the classic line in the Declaration that, “all men are created equal.” Her experience depicted how the American society during this period has displayed a stereotypical view of women, wherein they are widely seen to belong at home in the so-called cult of domesticity. Nonetheless, Abigail Adams is considered one of the pioneering women that launched the process of women emancipation and gender equality. Her actions served as an inspiration for many feminists that would come after her. More and more women became educated as schools were set up for them by individuals who advocate equal rights. There are numerous other developments driven by individual personages and they all influenced the trajectory of women empowerment later on. In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt became influential in advancing many of the women’s causes. During the Great Depression, she was at the forefront of those exhorting women to contribute something to their country and to alleviate the crisis. In one of her pronouncements, she stated that, “The women know that life must go on and that the needs of life must be met and it is their courage and determination which, time and again, have pulled us through worse crises than the present one” (Ware). The Progressive Movement One of the most important developments that advanced women’s interest both in the public sphere and within the policy networks was activism. Women throughout the United States started to come together and organized themselves so that their collective voices were effectively heard and acted upon. The organization that is credited to have spawned this development was the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) (Cohen). This group served as the inspiration for many similar groups that were established to educate women and promote their interests in various issues. A case in point is the establishment of the National Congress of Mothers (the precursor of the Parent Teacher Association). It was formed to address the needs of the American family and the mother’s crucial role in fulfilling those needs (Cohen). Then, there is also the Female textile workers in Massachusetts who formed the Lowell Female Labor Reform. This group is considered as one of the very first permanent labor associations for working women in the United States. There are numerous other groups spawned to advance different causes such as social and moral welfare, labor, political, economic and social issues. These reformists have been calling for change even before they were allowed to vote and as a result, the groups, the women and their activism were able to carve out new opportunities for paid labor in professions like social work and public health (Cohen). Certainly the opportunities were not limited to these areas. The activism established the collective voice of women as a pressure group. In 1848, a women’s rights convention was held in New York. This is considered to be the first national gathering of women that actively aimed to attain rights and equal treatment (Cohen). The convention became an annual affair, with speakers delivering memorable speeches, several of them former slaves and a growing number who are calling for the women’s right to vote. Because of this and other initiatives, the public and policymakers began to take notice and act on the issues they were raising. The progressive movement began during this period, as women found their voice and became emboldened to speak out and demand better treatment from the society. Specifically, the work of Gilman, Sanger, and the free-love advocates who advocated women’s autonomy became associated with the origins of feminism (Cohen). In the year 1877, the American Equal Rights Association was established. It was open to both black and white women and it primarily worked to achieve universal suffrage. According to Evans this long history of female activism enabled women to push at the boundaries of their domestic assignment both by choice and necessity since previously their legal status was defined by their marital status. She stressed that such activism; women were able to invent forms of politics outside the electoral arena through their activities in order to direct attention to unmet social needs. In Search of Roles After the Civil War, which immediately came after the declaration of American independence and threatened the union, led to several important developments that benefitted women. Particularly, this happened during the tumultuous period between 1865 and 1877, just after the Civil War was concluded. These years were more popularly known as the Reconstruction. It was significant for women because it laid the foundation for equality and other aspects in American society that would, in the future, encourage reforms and provide further opportunities for women empowerment. At the apex of this opportunity was Abraham Lincoln, who successfully abolished slavery in America. Although he was not entirely successful in eliminating discrimination, the roots for change has been sown. The principle that all men are equal, regardless of race and gender launched the activism that would gradually emerge from womenfolk. The Reconstruction sought to end social, economic and political isolation of minorities. While the attempt did not prosper, it established the first constitutional steps toward equality (Chapter 1, p.3). As policymakers scrambled to unify the nation and build a central government, the question as to what role must women play in nation building finally emerged. Together with the question about the contributions of the Blacks, Indians and minorities, the role of women and their plight was also recognized. The theme has been included in the public discourse and awareness about women, their rights and what they are capable of started to encroach the American consciousness. Universal Suffrage The quest for the right to vote has been long for women advocates. Since 1877, after the organization of the American Equal Rights Association, women had to brave strong oppositions in their call for universal suffrage. Conservatives, the wealthy, the clergy and even some women associations argue against it. For instance, Mrs. Arthur Dodge led a group of wealthy individuals and organized the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (Barber). Women activists worked hard in the pursuit of their goal. The National Women’s Party, for instance, staged pickets, hunger strikes and launched civil disobedience activities (Barber). The universal suffrage movements suffered several setbacks. There was the First World War, for example, which forced female activists to prioritize war work instead of their activism. After the war, the movement continued. It was only in August 26, 1920, however, that women were finally allowed to vote. This was an outstanding achievement not merely because women were finally able to exercise their right. The implication is critical: With universal suffrage, women are finally able to participate in nation building. They have now the power to influence policymaking through their collective vote. Women at War During the First and Second World Wars, men have to be sent overseas to fight. The American industrial machine suffered labor shortage especially that the army needed its own resource, its supplies replenished in a sustained manner in order to be successful. So the government asked for the available help that it could get. There were numerous women left at home and they were integrated into the workforce. They proved to be capable in taking up the men’s work, prompting many to call the womenfolk, America’s “secret weapon.” Finally, a very significant opportunity opened itself up for women who have been largely domesticated and never knew life outside their homes. The war, explained, the National Women’s History Museum gave them new jobs, new skills and new opportunities (NWHM, 2007). Revolutionary Years The years of the 1940s way until the 1970s can be considered as a revolutionary period for women. This is because gender equality rode on the momentum of the Civil Rights Movement. In a speech delivered by Kessler-Harris, it was explained how the discontent that fuelled the movement has also brought about similar sentiments on the part of women (Kessler-Harris 2010). Along with the cause being championed by Martin Luther King, feminists were also advancing their Women’s Liberation Movement. As African Americans demand more rights and an end to discrimination, women also asserted similar claims. As feminists adopted the Civil Rights Movement model, they were able to effectively raise the issue of gender system alongside discrimination against women. As the African Americans argued for jobs, housing, the right to vote for everybody, regardless of race, national origin and gender, the women’s movement was energized and achieved important objectives. The 1970s also saw the emergence of the media, which according to David Frum, brought modern life to the Americans (Chapter 5, p.267). The television and movies and their contents provided opportunities for women in their aim of emancipation. It is in these platforms that feminists and rights advocates are better able to deliver their message effectively, penetrate the public sphere and influence public discourse and policymaking in the process. The 1970s, as Frum, appropriately interpreted, mattered because the transformations that transpired therein provided the roadmap to much of our social landscape today (Chapter 5, p.268). In the contemporary times, women have achieved so much especially in the area of equality. Back in 2010, President Barack Obama signed Proclamation 8548 also known as Women’s Equality Day. This promulgation clearly described women’s achievements today: there are three female justices sitting in the Supreme Court; women lead in boardrooms and in the US Armed Forces, and in every sector of the American society. Conclusion Indeed, the women’s liberation movement has come a long way. And this is attributed to the perseverance, determination and courage of the women who fought for equality in the past and seized every opportunity top advance their cause. They have hoped and dreamt and acted on their aspirations and the modern American women reap the fruits of those hard work. While there are still challenges to gender equality as discrimination against women still persists, women continues to fight and persevere so that one day, the dream of an American society that has strong culture of gender equality without any forms of discrimination is finally realized. Read More