Title: Social Movements | American Government
Headings: Social Movements
Social Movements
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
A Brief History of Social Movements
The Civil Rights Movement
Enduring Image: “I Have a Dream”
The Women’s Movement
A Society of Many Movements
Social Movements and the Media
KEY TAKEAWAYS
EXERCISES

Content: 3] From the 1960s to the 1980s, the women’s movement was revitalized around the basic goals of achieving equal rights for women in politics, business, organized religion, and sports. Women fought for equal work for equal pay, for women to be ordained as clergy, and for girls to have the same opportunities to compete in school sports as boys. They were successful in achieving many of their goals. Congress passed the Women’s Educational Equity Act in 1974, which included Title IX, requiring schools to remove barriers to females’ full participation in sports. Today, there is no longer a single mass women’s movement. Instead, there are many organizations working on a wide range of issues related to women, such as health care, social justice, and domestic violence. [ 4] They make use of digital communication to reach out to the public and to support one another. The National Organization for Women (NOW), which takes action on issues of women’s equality, provides information and opportunities for participation online. Through its website, “Take Back The Night” promotes action against domestic violence by providing an online guide to organizing events, making T-shirts and posters available, and offering access to legal assistance. [ 5]
A Society of Many Movements
Following in the footsteps of the civil rights movement and the women’s movement, other movements have formed in reaction to policies that disadvantage particular segments of society.