WS2203 The Contemporary Women's Movement in Britain

The Context of the 1960s

• Economic growth, technological change, production of consumer goods, rising living standards for many, expansion of service sector, demand for labour (Commonwealth immigrants & indigenous women)
• Decolonization, national liberation movements, Vietnam War
• Black Civil Rights movement in USA, Civil Rights movement in N. Ireland
• Development of New Left and Student Movement
• 1964 Labour government in Britain, expansion of higher education, Race Relations Act 1965, legislation on homosexuality, divorce, prostitution & abortion
• decline of religious observance, availability of oral contraceptives, 'baby boom' generation adolescents & young adults, pop music, fashion, youth culture
• impact of writings & experiences from WLM in USA

A period of social and political change - the dominant ideas stressed progress, liberalization, egalitarianism.

The 7 Demands of the Women's Liberation Movement

1. Equal pay (1972)
2. Equal education and job opportunities (1972)
3. Free contraception and abortion on demand (1972)
4. Free 24 hour nurseries under community control (1972)
5. Legal and financial independence (1975)
6. An end to discrimination against lesbians (1975)
7. Freedom from intimidation through violence (1978) and sexual coercion

Overall assertion of right to self-defined sexuality also added in 1978
The 7 demands were intended to from a broad platform that could unite large numbers of women.

Early Organisation of Women's Liberation Movement

• Small, local, women-only, non-structured groups, linked through newsletters & national conferences
• Emphasis on groups operating in a non-hierarchical & non-competitive way, giving space for all women to speak & to share tasks and so demonstrate sisterhood and solidarity among women
• Emphasis on validity of personal experience and the development of an understanding of women's oppression through sharing ideas & experiences - called 'consciousness-raising'
• Inclusion in analysis of 'private' sphere of sexuality, reproduction, relationships - identified as site of women's oppression and subordination - 'the personal is the political'
• Emphasis on direct action and/or self help

But these ways of organizing and working excluded many women.
Groups tended to develop out of informal networks based on acquaintance or neighbourhood.
Groups could be hard to join for women from different groups or areas.
Where groups initiated by white and middle class women, tended to exclude Black and working class women - many of the latter active in Black political & community groups, the Labour party and trades unions.

Early Campaigns of the WLM

• Against sexism in representation, inter-personal behaviour, public institutions
• For the re-valuing of women & women's concerns
• To support women at work, in trades unions and in industrial action
• To demand space & resources for women
• Against domestic violence
• Against attempts to restrict abortion rights

If you print out this page, it will take up 2 sides of A4.

URL: http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~le1810/wlm.htm

Penny Welch
Uploaded 29/7/00

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