Second Wave Feminism

Second wave feminism is the title of the women’s movement that stretched from approximately 1960 to 1980. According to Georgetown College, there was strong feminist activity in America, Britain, and continental Europe. The movement was a break from the popular image of suburban tranquility popular in the 1950’s, as is detailed by Britannica. The women of the second wave of feminism were inspired in part by working-class socialism and so adopted the habit of holding strikes. According to Pacifica, the movement encompassed a highly-publicized protest against the Miss America beauty contest as well as local demonstrations and groups. Despite the movement’s breadth, it was highly fractal, encompassing black feminists, lesbian feminists, and social feminists. These groups were successful in instituting legislation like Affirmative Action and Title IX, with the only large failure being the Equal Rights Amendment. The second wave of feminism addressed social and professional opportunities, sexuality, and cultural representation. While the second wave tapered off by the 1990’s, some of the groups are still active.

Second wave feminism seems to be the movement we currently associate with feminism. It is the passionate radical movement for every woman. It seems unclear what ultimately brought about the decline of the movement. Perhaps it was a cultural shift of a lack of momentum. Currently our cultural view and enthusiasm for feminism is quite disparate from the second wave. Perhaps the large accomplishments of the second wave leave modern women satisfied and without motivation to activily participate in a feminist movement.