By LaKeshia N. Myers
Representative LaKeshia Myers
Women are fifty percent of the American population, yet their perspectives have historically been ignored. In my quest to ramp up my reading this summer, I chose to focus on reading books by female authors. The women’s liberation movement had a bevy of female writers whose works created shifts in political and social circles alike. Here are five books by authors I found worthwhile.
Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: Norton, 1963.
The last sentence of the first chapter of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique declares, “We can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: ‘I want something more than my husband and my children and my home.” For many women of the time, it was the declaration heard around the world. Friedan’s work speaks to the linear focus in which women were treated in post-World War II America. They were mostly relegated to the home and were seen as less than if they weren’t married or had children. Collectively, they had no identity—all marketing for women was for appliances and home products. On television, they were portrayed as the “happy housewife,” and any deviation from that was anti-establishment.
Friedan’s book was seen as the catalyst for the second wave of feminism. In her book, she pushed back on the notion that women and their value had to be attached to a man. As was discussed in American Reckoning, the role of women during this time was steeped in American exceptionalism, and the pining for home that was after GIs returned home from the war. After the war, Americans were focused on building families, creating suburbs, and expanding the housing market for soldiers who had returned home. This, like most policies, was based on economic need for the country.
Overall, I believe Friedan’s work is very important when understanding the feminist awakening that took place in the 1970s. It was a work that was timely, for a changing world.
Chisholm, Shirley, 1924-2005. Unbought and Unbossed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1970.
Elected as a Representative for New York’s 12th congressional district in 1968, Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to serve in the United States Congress. Just a few years later, she began a campaign for the U.S. presidency, becoming the first African American candidate from a major party and the first woman from the Democratic Party to do so. In her book Unbought & Unbossed, she chronicles her upbringing by immigrant parents and her career trajectory as an early childcare educator, Educational Consultant for the New York City Bureau of Child Care, New York State Assemblywoman, and then Congress.
As a Black woman, I resonate with the story of Shirley Chisholm. Like me, she was an educator and a politician. In re-reading this book, I found many parallels with her life. What was also interesting to me was the fact that she spoke openly about being a Black woman involved in the women’s movement. A movement that was overwhelmingly white and often ignored issues of race. Shirley Chisholm unknowingly discusses the phenomenon of intersectionality before it was popularized in the academy. With regard to personalities who were influential during the 1970s and 80s, Shirley Chisholm is at the top of my list.
Schlafly, Phyllis. A Choice, Not an Echo. 1st ed. Alton, IL: Pere Marquette, 1963.
The modern conservative movement often pays homage to former President Ronald Reagan, as the executor of modern conservatism. In my opinion, they are sorely mistaken. They owe their stronghold to Phyllis Schlafly. Phyllis Schlafly was a conservative political mastermind. She was well-versed in politics as well as foreign policy. She trained thousands of women through her Eagle Forum organization to fight against the women’s liberation movement and the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
In her book, A Choice, Not an Echo, she uncovers the political science behind the Republican nomination process for president. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Democrats maintained control of the presidency, with the exception of the 1953-1961 Eisenhower presidency. The Republican party had often been split between a conservative wing supported in the Midwest and West, and a liberal wing from the Northeast. The conservative wing, which Schlafly was a part of, opposed New Deal reforms and supported isolationist policies. On the other side, the liberal wing of the Republican party demanded more efficient use of New Deal policies and was led by Thomas E. Dewey, who Schlafly claimed was subject to the will of the Republican party “kingmakers” whom she felt was robbing Republicans of a true choice when selecting candidates.
Schlafly’s book was successful, and she was a highly sought-after speaker and strategist for her party. She was a key component in the creation of the Moral Majority and the modern Republican Party platform of the 1970s-1990s.
Steinem, Gloria. Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1983.
Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions is a collection of essays by feminist philosopher, Gloria Steinem. In this collection, it has been described as Gloria Steinem’s most diverse and timeless collection. In the book, Steinem discusses her stint as a Playboy bunny, her thoughts about the differences between erotica and pornography, and some satirical essays (If Men Could Menstruate).
The book also covers pressing issues for women across the world, not just American women. Steinem discusses female genital mutilation that occurs in some primitive tribes on the continent of Africa and elsewhere. While the issues vary in the collected work, it also provides insight and a barometer of the women’s liberation movement through the early 1980s. A lot had been achieved, but clearly, Steinem messages that there is much more work to be done.
Abzug, Bella. Bella!: Ms. Abzug Goes to Washington. New York: Sunday Review Press, 1972.
In this book, Bella Abzug discusses her first years in Congress. As one of the only women serving in the United States Congress at the time, Bella Abzug used her platform to advocate for the rights of marginalized communities. Using the slogan, “A woman’s place is in the House—of Representatives” she was instrumental in moving the Equal Rights Amendment forward and chairing the National Women’s Political Caucus. The book is part autobiography as well as Washington-tell all. Abzug, in her blunt fashion, describes issues of gender discrimination she has experienced while serving as a member of Congress.
Conversely, she also outlines her feminist ideology about gender pay and equity for women in public policy. It was a very interesting read for me, especially because it was a different viewpoint, as Abzug was an older feminist versus Gloria Steinem who was considered a younger feminist by Abzug. Overall, I believe these authors shed light on how women and their viewpoints have been ignored. This has occurred in both political parties and even in the halls of power.