By 1960, American women were thriving in almost every aspect, from family life to the workplace. A woman was expected to follow a path: marry in her early twenties, quickly start a family, and dedicate her life to domestic chores. The feminist movement began when women were expected to start families and stay at home. Women wanted things to be equal. For example, they wanted equal pay with their male workers. They wanted less discrimination as many business owners did not want to hire women. Women wanted the ability to choose what to do to their bodies. They wanted it to be normal for women to get a higher education. Women also fought against sexual harassment. Women should be able to earn more. They also wanted the ability to determine their sexuality, role in relationships, birth control and abortion, as well as their clothing and body image. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the reasons the feminist movement occurred was because of the "Head and Master Laws" that stated: women were legally prohibited from serving their husbands and were limited to only three jobs. They had no legal claim to any of their husband's earnings or property other than a limited right to adequate support. Husbands, however, would control their wives' property and earnings. If the marriage was broken up, divorce was difficult to obtain, as "no-fault" divorce was not an option, forcing women to prove wrongdoing by their husbands in order to divorce. During the 60's and 70's feminism was a prominent issue that affected women across the country. In 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) was formed to try to pass anti-discrimination laws. It was founded by Betty Friedman, Coretta Scott King and Pauli Murray. Their goal was to gain support to ensure equality between men and women in the workforce. They worked to change the institutional structures of society so that women could achieve economic, political, and social equality. During this period, fundamentally important changes occurred. Prior to this organization, Congress had struck down many anti-discrimination laws. Betty Friedman was an American writer, activist and feminist. She wrote "Feminine Mystique" in 1963. Betty helped found the National Women's Political Caucus and the Women's Strike for Equality in 1970. Coretta Scott King (wife of Martin Luther Jrs) was an author, activist and rights leader American civilians. She was an active supporter of African American equality along with a supporter of women's equality as well. Pauli Murray was the first African-American female Episcopal priest, American civil rights activist, women's rights activist, lawyer, and author. Gloria Steinem was an American feminist, journalist and socio-political activist. She has been recognized nationally as an American feminist leader and spokesperson. Gloria has been nicknamed "The Mother of Feminism". She brought attention to feminism through their writings and images. These images and writings emphasized women who went against stereotypes. Gloria was the co-founder of Ms. Magazine, the National Women's Political Caucus, and the Women's Management Council. Gloria also had sinister ties to the FBI and CIA. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In 1963, 1965,.