Reilly O’Neill, Reporter
@RONeillCourant
Women’s History month is celebrated in the U.S, Canada, and the U.K. It’s origins in the US started in 1911, when the first International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8. Then in 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 as National Women’
s History Week. Carter stated, “Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well. As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, ‘Women’s History is a Women’s Right’”
In celebration of such an important event, here is a look at women’s rights over the last 100 years.
1910’s: Members of the National Women’s Party, including Alice Paul and Lucy Burns picket the White House
to demand for women’s right to vote. The group was arrested and charged with “obstructing traffic” despite being on the sidewalk, nowhere near moving traffic.
Women of Note: Lucy Burns, Cary Chapman Catt, Alice Paul
1920’s: On August 26, 1920 the nineteenth amendment to the constitution is signed into law, giving women the right to vote. The flappers of the roaring 20’s introduced a new version of feminism, more concerned with social equality rather than political. Planned Parenthood is founded by Margaret Sanger
Women of Note: Abigail Adams, Lucy Burns, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
1930’s: Mary Mcleod Bethune founds the National Council of Negro Women, lobbying against racism and sexism. Birth control is no longer classified as “obscene.”
Women of Note: Mary Mcleod Bethune
1950’s: The Daughters of Bilitis was organized, the first lesbian organization in the U.S, and campaigns for the social and political acceptance of gay women. The fight for more reproductive rights began and “The Feminine Mystique” was published by Betty Friedan.
Women of Note: Betty Friedan, Phyllis Lyon
1960’s: The FDA approves birth control pills, Eleanor Roosevelt becomes chairwoman of the President’s Commision on the Status of Women. Congress passes the Equal Pay Act stating a woman cannot be paid less than men for the same job.
Women of Note: Angela Davis, Eleanor Roosevelt
1970’s: Ms Magazine is published, an outlet for many feminists of the time, including Gloria Steinem, the editor and co-founder. The Equal Rights Amendment is passed by congress, giving legal equality to men and women. Title IX of the education amendments bans sex discrimination in schools. Pauli Murray becomes the first woman to earn a doctorate from Yale, and is also the first black woman to be ordained as a priest.
Women of Note: Pauli Murray, Gloria Steinem
1980’s: Number of women elected to the Senate increases noticeably. In Meritor Savings Bank vs Vinson, the Supreme Court rules that sexual harassment is a form of illegal job discrimination. Linda Bellos becomes the first woman of color to join the Spare Rib feminist collective in ‘81.
Women of Note: Margaret Atwood, Linda Bellos
1990’s: In Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, the Supreme Court reaffirms a woman’s right to a safe abortion. The Violence Against Women Act is passed, funding services for victims of rape and domestic violence. Women are integrated into all-male military academies. Third wave feminism brings intersectionality. Kathleen Hanna brings the importance of intersectionality to feminism and an era of feminist punk rock.
Women of Note: Eve Ensler, Kathleen Hanna, Queen Latifah, Winona Ryder
Early 2000’s: President Obama signs the Lady Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which allows victims of
unfair pay to file a complaint with the government against their employer. Condoleezza Rice becomes the first black female Secretary of State. Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the House. Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Hispanic-American female Supreme Court Justice.
Women of Note: Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice, Sonia Sotomayor
2010: The Affordable HealthCare Act states that private
insurance companies must provide birth control without deductibles or co-pays. A ban on women in military combat roles is lifted, and the Violence Against Women Act is extended to women of tribal lands, lesbians and immigrants.
Women of Note: Laverne Cox, Janet Mock
2016: On March 2, Whole Women’s Health v Hellerstedt is addressed to determine whether or not an abortion clinic in Texas will be shut down, If it is, there will only be 13 clinics in the entire state to serve 13 million women. Also, there is still a wage gap for working women. A small gap, but still a gap, despite there being laws prohibiting such things. Around 10% of women under the age of 20 have been sexually assaulted and there are even more that have gone unreported. Emma Watson is continuing on her women’s rights campaign HeForShe. Sonita, a documentary film about child brides has been released.
Women of Note: Sonita Alizadeh, Emma Watson
