1960s Gender Roles

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For the longest time in United States, the typical household consisted of gender defined roles; the men were regarded as breadwinners and women were seen as homemakers. While the families were well sustained on just a male income, the women had many responsibilities at home. Of the responsibilities that women held, that of being a mother was of utmost importance. Books like Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care stated that a mother’s undivided attention was needed for her child’s wellbeing. Such views set a standard for women, so much so that nonconformity was looked down upon. However in the 1900s, even as women began to take on work that was previously labeled as a “man’s job”, women were still not treated fairly. Earning at least 60% of what men made for the same job, and being stereotyped to certain jobs deemed as “female fields” such as maids, secretaries, teachers, and nurses, women realized the need for equality. Such a drive was strengthened during the crisis of masculinity when men displayed a strong desire of being the only breadwinners for it was unmasculine of them if the situation at home was otherwise. Not only did these views begin to change during the 1960s, but the …show more content…
Johnson, who started his term in 1963, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which officially made “discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, in federal programs, voting, employment, and public accomodation” illegal throughout the United States. This law made it illegal for an employer to prioritize a man over a woman, however such practices still took place. Obvious neglect of the law lead to the creation of organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW). Founded in 1966, NOW was an alternative for EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) which paid little to no attention to sex discrimination as it focused more on ending other types of discrimination. NOW however, was specifically in charge of monitoring sex
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