How Did Shirley Chisholm Influence The Women's Rights Movement

Women have had a lengthy battle when it comes to freedom. Women such as Shirley Chisholm, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem helped lead women in the Women’s Liberation Movement. Shirley Chisholm is an important character in taking action to make men and women equal. Shirley was the first African American women elected into congress in 1964, she battled the oppression women faced in working in male-dominant jobs, and worked with pride. Robin Morgan was a writer who was very dedicated to feminism and fighting for women's freedom, she was apart of the New York Radical Women. Gloria Steinem was a was a writer and later got into activism because she claimed, “Just because it needed to be done." Steinem was not waiting for actions to be taken, she

To the Women’s Liberation Movement, freedom meant that they could be seen as equal to a man, taking control of their bodies, and breaking gender roles placed by society.

For women freedom meant equality. Women did not wish to be above or below men, they wanted to be equal. During the 1960’s women were viewed as the weaker link. Women were believed to not be able to defend themselves, because they were not as strong as men. Chisholm was a warrior, she was not afraid to unleash her opinions to the world, and she fought endlessly for what she believed in. Shirley Chisholm, wrote about women being viewed as weak and not being able to take care of themselves. In an excerpt from, Equal Rights for Women, Chisholm wrote, “That one sex needs protection more than the other is a male supremacist myth as ridiculous and unworthy of respect as the white supremacist myths that society is trying to cure itself of at this time.” Chisholm expands on the myth that women could not keep themselves safe like men. Chisholm also describes it as a myth made by male

Throughout history, women have always played a helping role to a man. Women were not portrayed as. It was hard for women to get certain jobs, because they favored men. The Women’s Liberation Movement, pushed forward in advocating for women in jobs outside of what they are used to. Shirley Chisholm questioned the shortcoming of women in higher performing jobs, stating, “Why is it acceptable for women to be secretaries, librarians, and teachers, but totally unacceptable for them to be managers, administrators, doctors, lawyers, and Members of Congress?” Chisholm recognized the lack of women in higher ranking jobs, so she fought for one of those jobs and got it. Chisholm paved the way for those women who never thought of having a high ranking job. Chisholm was not the only one who had a male dominanted job, Bella Savitsky Abzug also worked in congress. Abzug made a stereotype of women into her slogan when campaigning. Abzug used the slogan, “This woman’s place is in the House … the House of Representatives!” Abzug’s clever slogan empowered women to get out of their houses and have a real say in the government. Another woman's right activist who empowered women to leave their homes and go get a job was Betty Friedan. Friedan was an employed woman, she worked as a newspaper reporter in However, she got fired from her job after requesting her second maternity leave.