Summary Of Origins Of The Women's Liberation Movement By Jo Freeman
Jo Freeman wrote a piece in the American Journal of Sociology in January of 1973 called The Origins of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Freeman was an American feminist who worked for civil liberties and civil rights and got involved in the women’s liberation movement in the early stages. She not only worked towards women’s equal rights and civil rights but she lived it firsthand. In her piece in the American Journal of Sociology she stated her argument for how women were not treated fairly, however the government felt there were more pressing issues than women’s rights. She also talked about the creation multiple groups and organization as well as how the women’s movement lacked communication between these groups and organizations, pointing
out the differences between the younger and older groups and how their views differed. Freeman pointed out three important facts in her writings. One was the development of the Federal and State Commissions. The Federal Commission was the President’s Commission on the Status of Women which led to the establishment of 50 State Commissions. The State Commissions where to do similar research as the Federal Commission but on the state level. “The activity of the federal and state commissions laid the groundwork for the future movement in three significant ways: (1) it brought together many knowledgeable, politically active women who otherwise would not have worked together around matters of direct concern to women; (2) the investigations unearthed ample evidence of women's unequal status, especially their legal and economic difficulties, in the process convincing many previously uninterested women that something should be done; (3) the reports created a climate of expectations that something would be done.”2 Freeman talked about the four essential elements contributing to the women’s liberation movement. These four essential elements were: growth to the communications network, co-optable to the ideas of the new movement, a series of crises that got people involved into the network and subsequent organization efforts. She also points out the organization of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and how they had access to publicity and was able to get the word out regarding the women’s movement. In her writing Freeman allows the reader to better understand the trials and tribulations that women and the women’s liberation movement faced along the ways including development of many groups and organizations but the lack of communication between some of these groups, especially the young and old groups.
out the differences between the younger and older groups and how their views differed. Freeman pointed out three important facts in her writings. One was the development of the Federal and State Commissions. The Federal Commission was the President’s Commission on the Status of Women which led to the establishment of 50 State Commissions. The State Commissions where to do similar research as the Federal Commission but on the state level. “The activity of the federal and state commissions laid the groundwork for the future movement in three significant ways: (1) it brought together many knowledgeable, politically active women who otherwise would not have worked together around matters of direct concern to women; (2) the investigations unearthed ample evidence of women's unequal status, especially their legal and economic difficulties, in the process convincing many previously uninterested women that something should be done; (3) the reports created a climate of expectations that something would be done.”2 Freeman talked about the four essential elements contributing to the women’s liberation movement. These four essential elements were: growth to the communications network, co-optable to the ideas of the new movement, a series of crises that got people involved into the network and subsequent organization efforts. She also points out the organization of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and how they had access to publicity and was able to get the word out regarding the women’s movement. In her writing Freeman allows the reader to better understand the trials and tribulations that women and the women’s liberation movement faced along the ways including development of many groups and organizations but the lack of communication between some of these groups, especially the young and old groups.