Position of Women
1951 – 1964 -50s Primarily housewives.
-Average age of marriage 21 & 75% of all were married.
-1951, 1 in 5 worked.
-Family allowance ensured women didn’t need to work.
-Welfare state based on nuclear family & men full
employment.
-Women financially dependent.
-By 64’ working women risen, housewives uncommon to
work.
-TU not support & damaging for children.
-Teachers equal pay 1952 (middle class)
-1957 to 59’, washing machine ownership rose by 54%,
‘The Liberator’
- By end of period, 2nd wave feminism argued women
unfulfilled & trapped by homemaker role. US to UK by later
60s.
1964 – 1970 -Housewife role strong most of 60s, esp. working-class.
-The Feminine Mystique 63’ + 2nd wave + growth in
middle-class female education = frustration
-Women only 28% of students in higher education in 1970
-5% reached managerial posts.
-Girls’ education domestic slant
-No job shortage (till 70’ could be paid less than men).
-Clerical & service sector = poor prospects & poor pay
-Working mothers unnatural & selfish by media.
-Childminders rare in 60s & private nurseries only for
wealthy.
-Family Planning Act 1967 (Contraceptives)
-Changing attitudes, 5.8% 1960 to 8.2% 1970 illegitimate
births
-Inevitability of pregnancy removed = liberating
-Thalidomide disaster = Abortion Act 1967
-35,000 (1968) to 141,000 (1975) abortions
1951 – 1964 -50s Primarily housewives.
-Average age of marriage 21 & 75% of all were married.
-1951, 1 in 5 worked.
-Family allowance ensured women didn’t need to work.
-Welfare state based on nuclear family & men full
employment.
-Women financially dependent.
-By 64’ working women risen, housewives uncommon to
work.
-TU not support & damaging for children.
-Teachers equal pay 1952 (middle class)
-1957 to 59’, washing machine ownership rose by 54%,
‘The Liberator’
- By end of period, 2nd wave feminism argued women
unfulfilled & trapped by homemaker role. US to UK by later
60s.
1964 – 1970 -Housewife role strong most of 60s, esp. working-class.
-The Feminine Mystique 63’ + 2nd wave + growth in
middle-class female education = frustration
-Women only 28% of students in higher education in 1970
-5% reached managerial posts.
-Girls’ education domestic slant
-No job shortage (till 70’ could be paid less than men).
-Clerical & service sector = poor prospects & poor pay
-Working mothers unnatural & selfish by media.
-Childminders rare in 60s & private nurseries only for
wealthy.
-Family Planning Act 1967 (Contraceptives)
-Changing attitudes, 5.8% 1960 to 8.2% 1970 illegitimate
births
-Inevitability of pregnancy removed = liberating
-Thalidomide disaster = Abortion Act 1967
-35,000 (1968) to 141,000 (1975) abortions
