1977 National Women's Conference

Definition

The 1977 National Women's Conference was a landmark gathering held in Houston, Texas, where thousands of women from diverse backgrounds convened to discuss and promote women's rights and issues. This conference marked a significant moment in the feminist movement, bringing together activists, policymakers, and scholars to develop a national agenda for women's equality, influenced by key socialist feminist thinkers who emphasized the intersection of gender and class struggles.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The conference was organized by the U.S. government and involved over 20,000 women who participated in discussions about women's rights across various sectors including health, education, and employment.
2. One of the primary outcomes was the formulation of a National Plan of Action that included strategies to address discrimination and promote equality for women in all aspects of society.
3. The conference highlighted the importance of including diverse voices within the feminist movement, recognizing issues faced by women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
4. Notable speakers at the conference included First Lady Rosalynn Carter and feminist leaders like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, who emphasized solidarity among women.
5. The event was part of a larger momentum towards recognizing women's rights as human rights within the broader political landscape of the late 1970s.

Review Questions

• How did the 1977 National Women's Conference reflect the goals and values of socialist feminist thinkers?
  • The 1977 National Women's Conference embodied the goals of socialist feminists by emphasizing that women's liberation is inherently linked to addressing class issues. The conference highlighted how economic inequality affects women disproportionately, echoing the beliefs of thinkers like Clara Zetkin and Alexandra Kollontai. Their perspectives stressed that true equality cannot be achieved without also tackling systemic economic disparities that impact women's lives.
• Discuss the significance of the National Plan of Action created at the 1977 National Women's Conference and its impact on future feminist initiatives.
  • The National Plan of Action established at the conference served as a roadmap for future feminist initiatives by outlining specific goals for advancing women's rights. It addressed pressing issues such as reproductive rights, employment discrimination, and educational access. This plan not only provided a clear agenda for advocacy but also fostered collaboration among different feminist groups, setting a precedent for future organizing efforts that sought to address a broad spectrum of women's issues.
• Evaluate how the 1977 National Women's Conference contributed to shaping modern feminist discourse and activism in relation to intersectionality.
  • The 1977 National Women's Conference significantly shaped modern feminist discourse by foregrounding intersectionality—the understanding that various social identities such as race, class, and sexual orientation intersect to create unique experiences of oppression. By including diverse perspectives within its discussions and acknowledging the specific challenges faced by marginalized groups, the conference paved the way for contemporary feminism that advocates for inclusivity and recognizes that women's experiences are not monolithic. This emphasis on intersectionality continues to influence feminist activism today as it seeks to address multiple layers of discrimination.

Related terms

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution aimed at guaranteeing equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex, which gained significant momentum during the women's movement in the 1970s.

Second Wave Feminism: A period of feminist activism that began in the early 1960s and continued into the 1980s, focusing on issues such as equality in the workplace, reproductive rights, and legal inequalities.

Clara Zetkin: A prominent socialist feminist activist and theorist who advocated for women's rights and labor issues, playing a key role in shaping socialist feminist thought in the early 20th century.