1920-2970 The Rof.n/idfl At The Half-Century
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Longwood College, Farmville, Va., May 13, 1970
18
Women's Liberation Movement Provides Interest For 1970's
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Courtny of Women'i Llb«r«elon For-the-most-part this is a reBy CAROLYN CUMMINS In this age of social protest there volt against being treated as a sex Is one movement in which ongwood object, a guinea pig in the use of birth students should show particular in- control pills, a chick by peace raditerest. The 1960*s were marked by cals, and second class thinker. These civil rights and student rights move- women resent the equating of manliment while the 1970's may unveil a full- ness to Tom Jones and womanliness scale women's rights movement. Un- to Rachael Welch. Thirty-one million fortunately, few people understand women work — one-third are secrethe women's liberation movement taries and clerical workers, and over (WLM). It is an attack on a male- one-fifth are waitresses or domestics. dominated society where women are The average yearly income for a fullsecond-class citizens. It wants to time working female is $4,150, while change social attitudes and customs it is $7,200 for a full-time working to permit women to function as sepa- male. The major occupations of working women are teaching, nursing, makrate and equal persons. In 1848 the first Women's Rights ing clothes, cooking and cleaning Convention met in Seneca Falls, N.Y. simply extensions of their home funcThese women sought and eventually tions. The WLM seeks to change these got some states to liberalize divorce situations. There are five states where a wife laws and to grant women the right to own property, make contracts, and must get court approval before she bring suit. With the coming of indus- can operate an independent business. try, the women's role changed. Fac- In five states (not all the same as in tories, canneries, public schools and the first example) a wife may not hospitals took away some of her func- dispose of her property without her tions, giving her leisure time to par- husband's consent. In three states, ticipate in this movement. In the 1920's, women are excluded from jury duty. after she got the rieht to votp. this Such inequalities exist throughout movement tempered. Soon electricity, America and the WLM wants to rectify household appliances, and refrigera- them. Some factions of the WLM advocate tion added to her leisure time. During WWTI while the men were off fighting, living in female communes, avoiding she showed her ability to do the tra- men and overthrowing the male-domiditional male occupations. But after nated society. But most of the WLM is the war she again took her place as dedicated to getting better Jobs, aborwife and mother. This was the age of tion reforms and more child-care cenDr. Spock where women were told ters and to eliminating sex difference that child-rearing was the most chal- in education, home life, politics and manners. The membership is mostly lenging thing that she could do. The mid-60's saw a revival of the under 30, radical, white, and located women's liberation movement on two in New York, Boston, Washington, fronts. In 1963 Betty Friedan's "Femi- Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Francisco nine Mystique" was published telling and on college campuses. Behind these women that their role as a producer activists are many nonjolners who of children was trivial and empty. Un- have indicated their support in their der her leadership in 1966 the Nation- voting patterns reading habits, and al Organization of Women (NOW) was letters to Congressmen and to editors. This movement has its opposition. founded to attack job inequalities and other injustices through the courts, Some women feel that their present to get more women elected to public position is a natural one and resent office and as a legislative lobby. This the belittling of it. Those women alorganization admits men and now has ready well-established in the maleover 35 chapters including one in dominated world resist the WLM beRichmond. The other group sprang cause they like the sense of superifrom those women working in the ority they receive from their achievecivil rights movement. They found ment. Some men view the WLM as themselves being used for sweeping an assault on their masculinity by a floors, cooking meals, making coffee, few uppity women. Others feel that typing, and bedding down. The actual the women involved must be frigid, protesting was considered too dan- lesbian, or self-haters. Most are gerous for women. In mid-1967 these frightened or angered by the idea of dejected women started their own or- restructuring the society's role of ganizations. Some of these are: Sis- the woman and the family. Like all protests, this one has its ters of Lilith, the Gallstones, the Redstockings, the Sisters All Learning radicals, but they do not make the Together (SALT), Women's Liberation rest of the movement invalid. HopeFront (WOLF), Media Women, the fully the WLM will be influential in Feminists, the Radical Feminists, and rectifying the injustices, equalizing the Women's International Terrorist the opportunities, and changing public opinion. An unhappy wife is not a Conspiracy (WITCH). The WLM has a stigma of silliness. good wife. If she would be happier Female Liberation Cell 16 wears tight with a full or part-time career, then pants, polo shirts, heavy custom-made she should pursue it. Those who want mountain boots, and short hair in pro- to maintain their role as a full-time test of the male-dominated society. wife and mother should be allowed to At Temple University eight women also. But even more crucial those take the ROTC course. At Berkeley who do not desire marriage should 20 take a karate class and dress in not be condemned and should be althe men's locker room. At one Miss lowed to pursue their chosen profesAmerica contest women took off their sion on an equal basis with men. The bras and burned them. There are also WLM reminds us that the American those who give the movement a bad Dream does not apply to men only. name by stripping in public and using The decade of the 70's may prove to be an enlightening one. dirty language.
This was the scene on Friday at 11:10 a.m., when students, faculty, and administration gathered under the flagpole at Hampden-Sydney for a memorial service honoring the seven dead Kent State students. The
Reverends Vassey and Griffin and Professors lleinemann and Mrllwaine from H-SC were the main speakers. Another memorial service for the students was held on Wheeler Mall at I mii:« I on Monday night.
Action On College Campuses Reflect Presidential DecisionTo Expand War By ETHEL REITER President Nixon's decision to send U. S. troops into Cambodia has reawakened the dormant peace movement. Students are massively striking, marching, demonstrating, mourning, rioting, burning, and protesting in a nationwide storm of rage and passion. Morbid shadows of bloodshed and death no longer exist as imaginations of disaster, rather as realities. It is absurd for college administrative officials to restrict or advise students against demonstrations. ALL campuses in Virginia and over the nation will be affected by the realization of the murder of innocence and disgust over extension of the war. Polarization and alienation are inevitable when protestors are referred to as "bums" and "choleric young intellectuals" by the President and his rhetorical scapegoat, Vice-President Agnew. A weary society sick of far, foreign involvement, and death finds the promise of military victories through escalation little consolation. American youth resents Nixon's deceptive policies. Only ten days after announcing successful Vietnamization of the war, he called for more U. S. troops to combat Communist sanctuaries in Cambodia and resumed limited bombings of North Vietnam. The youths killed were not 'bums' or radicals, and the majority of protestors are not. The violence cannot be considered as a result of parental permissiveness or childish stupidity. Sev-
eral American students simply cannot respect a President who, without the consent of Congress, reescalates a hopeless war in a country whose people are generally ignorant, uncooperative, and unappreciative of our efforts. However, it would be gravely erroneous and narrow-minded to condone and justify the behavior of radical students. It is senseless to fight violence with violent dissent. It is obvious where this leads, evidence being the Kent State University massacre. Pseudeointellectuals and pseudoradi-
cals do more harm than good. To ignorantly and violently wave the banner of peace and love is ridiculously ironic. And naturally, it is this mindless minority that is the loudest and receives the most attention. This radical subgroup delights at the present social and political crisis of our nation and would like nothing better than to see a spread of violent protest. Bombings, arson, and destruction cannot create peace and social change, only chaos (Continued on Page 2)
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Student banners later removed caused much discussion and dissent.
Financial Assistance Regulations Stated For Student Jobs Students should be IWtra of Ibj following regulation D < minr of(campus employment: 1) Btudttti employed "ff-^mpm must register with the 1 bnncisJ Aid office, presenting a letter from their parent Indii attog appi ml, 2) The Direct 1 I I USA ial Aid will notify the Dun ol Uv I lie) • and Dean of Students of any itudents employed 11 un| 1 , Ivinj place i employment i rail as work .• bedule. 3) The Dean of ( allege win with tho le -iif !■ HI imp] red n pus who da not ha. academic i" students employed on 1 tmpui ibould be aware 1) Accumulate li 2.0 is .mi'iit on ami la] pi i ml of the Dean of the Z) A ten-tweli repp- atal i ■iiiiurn employment ; ' by pen:.
of Coll An> itudenl w Conrerned students held .1 pi.m- r.ilK Ml \\ In. 1. r Mill whnh MM isled of speakers mil .1 candlelight burning,
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