Essay On Feminism In The 1920s

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Although the feminists of the 1920s did not significantly improve their economic status, they were able to boost their political status by passing the 19th Amendment for women’s suffrage. Before they could vote, women had very strict roles in society. Many people during the 1920s believed that when a woman spoke in public, she was “ignoring [her] biological weaknesses,” such as a smaller brain and more fragile physique (Krolokke 5). The argument continued, stating that these women were also harming their reproductive abilities (Krolokke 5). Suffragists first broke these stereotypes by engaging in public persuasion, which was deemed “unwomanly” by the people of the era (Krolokke 5). After that, they slowly earned the right to “indirect[ly] influence, [but] certainly not engage in, public activities” (Krolokke 5). Even as the suffragists tried to achieve the right to vote, they had to work within these stigmas. The popular opinion stated that women had a “natural disposition toward maternity and domesticity” (Krolokke 5). Therefore, suffragists argued that female voters would enrich politics with their maternal characteristics (Krolokke 5). After years of protest, the 19th Amendment was officially ratified in 1920. Men and women finally had equal voting rights. While this piece of legislation was a significant advancement for the first-wave women, they still faced major obstacles in society. Female voters were harassed. In Indianola, Mississippi, Irene Magruder’s house was set on fire after it was used as an office for voter registration workers (Collins 432). When the firemen arrived, they turned their hoses off and watched as the house and everything Magruder owned burned down (Collins 432). Another woman, Fannie Lou Hamer, face...

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... setting up the basis for the second movement. After women began talking about the family economy during the first wave, the women were able to shift their focus to their personal careers and salaries during the second wave. Additionally, the first wave gave women the right to vote, but the second wave gave women more political power. Women distinguished themselves through their sexuality in the first wave, while the second wave helped women distinguish themselves through their strength. The achievements of the second feminist movement clearly had their roots in the first movement. Feminism is now entering its third wave. Regardless of whether the new feminists use an indirect approach, like the 1920s movement, or a direct approach, like the 1970s movement, American women will continue fighting for gender equality until the words “man” and “woman” both mean “human.”

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