Since we’re in the middle of Presidential election season and since we stand a very good chance of electing the first Woman to the office of President, memes have been circulating on social media outlining what women have accomplished since the 1970s and indeed what was expressly forbidden before then.
In 1974 a Woman could finally get a credit card in her own name. In 1973 Women could finally have access to an abortion. The right to work without discrimination due to pregnancy. Obtain a divorce based on “irreconcilable differences”. Access to birth control. Right to file a discrimination suit based on Sex. In 1975 a Woman could serve on a jury. Equal pay for equal work.
The list goes on. Some of it comes as a surprise, especially finding out that prior to 1974, just 50 years ago, Women could not get a credit card in their own name. Certainly, the Women’s Movement beginning in 1970 heralded much of that change, but it’s strange to consider just how recent and how hard fought most of those rights came to be.
I ran across this episode of the Discussion show Open Mind with a panel consisting of Betty Friedan, Pauline Frederick, Alexander King and several other notables discussing the issue of The Emancipated Woman in 1968. Just how much resistance there was to Women achieving anything resembling independence is baffling from the standpoint of 2024. How the whole issue of a Woman’s career was based on whether or not she would get married and have children – how most opportunities for Women even in the late 60s were based on a built-in discrimination that a Woman could be either a housewife or a career person and could not mix the two. How the idea that a woman was compelled to be married at a young age and turn out kids as her only means of achieving self-worth.
Makes for some strange listening, but this was the norm in 1968 and would stay that way for a while and is in fear of slipping back to those days.
Much as many would like to think it just wasn’t the case, hearing this episode of The Open Mind and the discussion amply proves America, if not the world, was coming to grips with a few realities.
Here is that hour-long discussion, as it was broadcast on December 18, 1968.
