Advancements for women
in the sixties.
In a post-war world life became very different for women.
They had been allowed more responsibilities during the war and did not want to
give things such as jobs and independence up once World War 2 ended. There were
a lot of different advancements which influenced women’s lives in the sixties
and many female icons of the decade who are still considered role models today.
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Figure 1. An early version of the contraceptive pill.
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There were many inventions which made women’s lives easier
in the 1960’s. Notably, the development of the contraceptive pill in 1960 gave
women a new sense of freedom and choice they did not previously have to prevent
unwanted pregnancies which allowed them to focus on themselves rather than
children. The invention of the countertop microwave in 1967 meant wives and
mothers spent less time in the kitchen preparing meals, with more time for
leisurely activities and “sixties women were prepared to make their amusement
to fill their leisure hours”[1]. This
also meant women had more time to focus on achieving equal rights for
themselves.
Women who were unsatisfied with their conventional and
somewhat suburban lives were inspired by the writing of Betty Friedan and many
strove for change. They admitted they had regrets about becoming housewives
instead of pursuing careers, which was stereotypically only done by men. In her
book Friedan gave this assumption that women had to conform to stereotypes the
name ‘the feminine mystique’[2] and
suggested that women could achieve more than settling for a life as a suburban
housewife. Although they had gained the right to vote, women began striving for
equal rights across all subjects including work and sexuality which became
known as second wave feminism.
 |
Figure 2. Women protesting their right to wear
mini-skirts.
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As well as Friedan, there were many other female celebrities
in the spotlight during the 1960’s. It was no longer surprising to see women in
these positions as more women began to pursue careers instead of staying at
home. Audrey Hepburn starred in many films during this decade and is still
celebrated as an icon today. Designer Mary Quant made the mini-skirt popular with
help from the model Twiggy and both women became famous in their own right,
redefining female fashion and giving women the opportunity to dress
expressively. US first lady Jackie Kennedy was an inspiration to the people of
America not only through her fashion choices but also her strength and courage
after President Kennedy’s death which was one of the biggest shocks of the
decade. These women were all idolised and helped define the sixties as the
decade of change for the female gender.
 |
Figure 3. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with President
Kennedy.
|
Inspired by Friedan and other celebrity icons of the
sixties, women took their lives into their own hands and campaigned for equal
pay, sexual freedom and the end of sexism. For the first time, women were
wearing what they wanted, working where they wanted and being who they wanted,
just like men always had.
Bibliography
Bell, M. (2012). Young, Single, Disillusioned: The Screen Heroine
in 1960s British Cinema. The Yearbook of English Studies, 42, p.79.
Criscione,
L. (1967). Twiggy:
A Mini-Everything. [online] Rocks Back Pages. Available at:
https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/twiggy-a-mini-everything
[Accessed 14 Nov. 2017].
Friedan,
B. (1963). The
Feminine Mystique. Penguin Classics.
Hardy,
S. (2016). Women
of the 1960s. Havertown: Pen and Sword.
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