1960년대 미국 여성운동의 성격

Abstract

American Women's Movement started with the Seneca declaration as a starting point and reached the summit when a suffrage was given to women in 1920. But its became stagnant owing to the Great Panic in 1930's and the breaking of war. Especially, under the conservative current of that times following the World War II, women's movement had a hard time growing properly. The women's campaign of at this stage is usually called the first period of women's movement. After the recession, various forms of social movements had become active along with a liberal political trend in the U.S. and also the women’s movement regained its prime in 1960s. This study focuses on Betty Friedan who took the leading role in restoration and development of women’s movement establishing National Organization of Women in 1966, to understand the distinction of women’s action in 1960s. Several factors influenced the prosperity and revival of the American women's movement and the publication of『The Feminine Mystique』by Friedan, of all things, exercised the most powerful influence. The book by Freidan stands high in estimation in that it played a role as a main prop in revival of American women's movement. The criticism by Friedan in her book motivated the comtemporary women to think about their social status and the identity and as a result, they began to take a skeptical view of their social status. The great commercial success of her book, in particular, supported the Friedan's assertion on the identity of women and strengthened the her position as a Feminist. Friedan played an important role in revival of modern American women's movement and she became a representative leader with the establishment of National Organization of Women in 1966. National Organization of Women, with Friedan for its founder, adopted the liberal feministic line and unfolded the realistic and practical movement for such as abolition of sex discrimination and the improvement in social status of women. What Friedan tried to advocate most was the liberal and realistic movement different from that of radical feminists', whose was biased and tend to be exclusive of men. The activity of National Organization of Women resulted mainly in the changes of law. It can be illustrated by the endeavor for the passage of the Equal Rights of Amendment. At the same time, the activity of National Organization of Women changed the general understanding of the problems associated with the women. Even after the resignation of National Organization of Women, Friedan maintained the movement for the improvement of the women's rights through the confederation with the various group such as National Women's Political Caucus and National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws. Though the point of Friedan's women movement, undoubtedly, had a limitation in that it applied only to the middle class of white women, it can be appraised as a centripetal force in touching off the 2nd women's movement by awakening the spirit of the first women's movement which was shadowed by the false image of 'Feminine Mystique'. Also, the criticism on her thoughts and the reflection on the situations of women in various circles provided an important opportunity for American women's movement to prosper and extend its' influence. Approaching the late 1960s, a radical young women led movement, different from the liberal woman campaign by Friedan, appeared and unfolded the radical demonstrations with the bringing out the revolt against the man-centered social structure. It became main stream in the women's campaign in 1970s. Especially, its' endeavor to gain the admission for the passage of Equal Rights Amendment was the biggest issue from 1960's to the early 1970s and has been continued today. American women‘s movement in 1960s assumed a somewhat conservative tendency and unfolded the movements reflecting more on the realty of women's life and the movement for the legal interests and rights of the women took a chief part.