“Times indeed were changing”
Early 19th century in the U.S, women’s housework was not considered real work because work consisted of getting a profit. Times were changing between 1960s and 1970s. Around the period, most women began to speak up. One of them is Betty Friedan. She wrote “The Feminine Mystique.” According to her, she spoke “The ‘mystique’ that Friedan spoke of was the image of the woman as mother, as wife, living through her husband, through her children, giving up her own dreams for that.”(505). And she mentioned that women should have a creative work of her own for the women. In the 60s’ women did not have choice to work outside, and give up their dreams for their families. However, the end of 60s the society changed that women had 40% of entire employee.
Moreover, “more important, people were beginning to speak of ‘Women’s Liberation.’” This movement represented by organizations. Witch was an organization for radical women. They said “There is no joining WITCH. If you are a woman and dare to look within yourself, you are a WITCH. You make your own rules.”(508) Women became strong and learned self-defense to protect them from sexual discrimination. Because, the law and government did not do anything for women, the only way they got rights was took action and protest themselves. This movement occurred in 1967. Women’s group had lobby President Johnson to banned sex discrimination in federally connected employment.
As feminist movements occurred, other movements also occurred by the Native Americans. Native Americans were attacked and subdued by the white invaders. They were forced to become a part of civilization but they never forget their root and culture. Moreover, the government violates every single treaty between them and the Indians. Indians wants their land back and their rights. This represents the movements that Indians resist both physical resistance and the artifacts of white culture. Also, “Indians were already gathering their energy for resistance, thinking about how to change their situation, beginning to organize.”(525) They already take action for their rights. Consequently, Indians were trying to take their rights and their land from white invaders. This represent as occupied Alcatraz Island in 1969. They want to show they could rebuild the land and make it a Native American Studies for Ecology. And the change was happening in the schools, teachers began throwing away textbooks that did not include or ignore Indians. There was a general rejection against oppressive and artifact.
