Feminist Movement
The largest minority group in the world today is and has been women. Although the rights of today’s women throughout the world have increased somewhat drastically since the 1800’s, the struggle for gender equality has been a persistent problem all over the world. No longer are women without voices or left helpless in gaining fair treatment next to men. With the development of the feminist movement in the United States and parts of Europe the rest of the world has followed with the continuing struggle for Gender equality and women’s rights.
Seneca Falls, New York is the home to the first ever Women’s rights Convention in the United States in 1848. During this convention it was declared that women have “immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.” This included the right to vote, the right to a profession, education, to better wages, and an end to the moral double standard between men and women. (Walters, 2006) Although it wasn’t until 1920 that the Women’s suffrage amendment was passed with the help of Susan B. Anthony, then were women allowed to vote in the United States.
Under the leadership of Betty Friedan, the NOW organization (National Organization for Women) was founded in 1966. This major leading women’s organization focused most of their effort to passing the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA was approved in the 1971 by the House of Representatives but fell short by three states to be completely put into effect. Although the ERA was denied a few times many states have added their own Gender equality rights clauses to their constitutions. (Scholastic, 2009)
Around the world women feminist started their own movements little by little. In Rome and Cairo, Arab women started convening in the 1920’s fighting for gender equality such as marital rights as well as others equal to that of men. South America and Asia, which consist of more traditional...