Thirteen things that have changed

I have just finished this amazing book called When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins. 

 I HIGHLY recommend this book.  It amazes me how far we've come...from just 50 years ago. Here are thirteen things that have changed. 

1) The book begins when a woman is castigated by a judge for daring to wear slacks in his courtroom.  There were men in the courtroom wearing jeans and undershirts, but this woman wasn't dressed correctly.  I'm glad that I can wear slacks, trousers, leggings or any other damn thing I want to wear. 

2) In 1960 Barnard College  would, at the graduation party give their married (or engaged) female graduates a corsage.  If you weren't married or engaged you got a lemon.  I'm glad that my worth is no longer dependent on my marital status. 

3) Women were not allowed to work longer than 9-5 so they could be home to take care of their family.  Now, on its face that sounds good--but it meant you couldn't network after work.  You couldn't take on the hard stuff because you had to be home to take care of your family.  This totally eliminated the man from any responsibility.  I'm very glad I choose when I stay late. 

4) Collegiate women had to be in their dorms at 9:30.  The men had no curfew.  I'm glad I could stay out however long I wanted to in college. 

5) Most women went to college to earn their MRS degree.  My mom was one who bucked that trend by being the second woman at her school to have a degree in International Finance. 

6) Birth Control.  When it first came out, only married women were allowed to get it.  Thanks to Griswold vs. Connecticut they were allowed to.  For all women who want a pro-life amendment to the constitution, understand this.  If abortion is made illegal, birth control won't be far behind.  Women fought hard so we had the rights to our own reproductive system and decide when we wanted to reproduce.

7) There was no such thing on the books as marital rape.  According to the law, a woman could not be raped by her husband.  I'm fortunate that I am married to a man where that is the case.  But there are women who are not.  In the last 50 years, women won the right to their own bodies and to say NO! 

8) Ms.  With one word, the world doesn't have to know whether I am married or not.  Often I will be Mrs. Journeywoman, but when I don't know someone I'm Ms.  And I Like it!

9) We are no longer telling our daughters, nieces, goddaughters that the only way to be attractive to a man is to dumb yourself down.  In the 60's and 70's women were told to take the "dumber" classes to attract a steady. 

10) In the 60's a woman traveling alone was not permitted in the first class cabin of an airplane.  Attractive women would light the men's cigars (when you could smoke on airplanes).  Stewardesses were told that they had to be "pretty" and were weighed and measured by their male bosses in front of the entire company.  Also they were not allowed to be married.  A company that did that now would be sued for harassment. 

11) A woman on her own could not get a credit card unless a male relative cosigned it with her.  A woman on her own could not get a mortgage.  

12) Nora Ephron, writer of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle among many others was told, when she interviewed for Newsweek that women couldn't be writers.  

13) I'm writing this blog.  I'm a woman and I occasionally swear.  I'm married and I don't have kids (not for lack of trying).  This would not be possible in 1960.  The Feminist movement allowed me these choices and opportunities.  I hope I live up to the challenge. 

I recommend this book highly!

If you want to see other Thursday Thirteens, click here.  

Comments

[Kristen]

Sounds like an eye-opening books. We certainly have come a long way. Sometimes, when I watch old movies, I am amazed at the liberties that men were allowed to take.

[Heather]

Sounds like a fascinating read. It's appalling how many people in this country are trying to erase those last 50 years.

[Tracie]

What an interesting list. It is amazing some of the things that we take for granted. I think that #7 was especially important...it shows that even in a marriage union a woman retains the right to herself and her body.

Thanks for stopping by. I will concede your Jay Leno point, but retain my bitterness :)
Happy T13!

[Ann Bruce]

Ditto what Heather said.

[Alice Audrey]

The last time I was called for jury duty I wore slacks because I bicycled to the courthouse. I was castigated three times by various functionaries because without a skirt I was considered to be less respectful of the system than I should be. I've been skipping out on jury duty ever since.

[Nessa]

Those are interesting changes. When I was in college I wanted to take a computer class but was told it was only for men.

Thursday Thirteen - Useless Knowledge

[colleen]

The first one about the pants really gets me. We word skirts in school but the boys had to wear ties.

[Brenda]

I'm always looking for a good book to read. Thanks for the tip.

[Julia Smith]

Great post. I'm always reflecting on the life I enjoy thanks to the women who wrestled it into being for me. It didn't simply evolve. It had to be won.

I'm famous in my office for bringing an end to the term 'girls' being used for the women who work here. I'm 45, thank you - call me woman. I earned it.

[Hazel]

Dumb is attractive? Glad I wasn't born yesterday. It took me 4 years to change my maiden name to my (ex)husband's name and it was ok with everyone, thank God for these changes. If we contribute especially financially we might as well call some of the shots or there's trouble :-)

[storyteller at Small Reflections]

I remember how dress codes changed over time for teachers. I was grateful when women were allowed finally to wear 'pant suits' ... and eventually more 'relaxed' attire in the classroom. So many changes in such a relatively short time. Sounds like an interesting read for sure!

Thanks for helping me celebrate my 2nd Blogoversary at Small Reflections today. Today I'll be working on my 2nd Blogoversary post for Sacred Ruminations to publish on Friday. I can't believe I've been blogging so long already. How time flies!

I'm sharing an award with all visitors in my T-13 at Happily Retired Gal this week. Hope you'll drop by when time permits to snag, enjoy, and pass it along to others.
Hugs and blessings,

[becky68]

That sounds like a great book, I'm 40 & for the most part too young to remember how bad things were. My mother tells me things like your list though.
I work for a satellite tv provider in Technical Support though & I can tell you, sexism is alive & well in America today. I am level 4 tech support & I know my stuff cold however I routinely get comments from customers about "are you sure?" "Is your boss around so I can run it by him" (My boss is a woman too) and even agents transferring to me have been known to ask if they have the correct department- the saddest part is that I'm by no means in the minority at my work, we employ about 50-50 between men & women!

[Celticlibrarian]

Thank Heaven for the feminist movement. I love my jeans. And really, after all the other things we've won, that's just the cherry on top.

[JO]

Sounds interesting alright.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

[Celtic Angel]

I need to see if my library carries this book. Thanks!

[jillconyers]

Great T13. Some or actually most of these are hard to imagine!

[Laura]

When I started kindergarten in 1970, it was the first year that girls could wear pants to school every day if they chose. Before, they could only wear pants on rainy days.

My mom also told me that a woman alone could not go into a bar without a male escort. (Mom and her college pals would "borrow" the taxi driver so that they could go in and have a drink!) Also that teachers had to leave their jobs as soon as they were visibly pregnant. A tight girdle in 1965 allowed my mom to finish a school year while pregnant with me. Doesn't THAT sound like fun!

We have a lot to be thankful for.