Feminism in women's magazines: pioneers for equality in the 70s!

Feminism in women's magazines: pioneers for equality in the 70s!

The second wave of feminism in the 1970s not only shaped the social landscape, but also the media reporting on the concerns of the women's movement. This era was characterized by the motto "The private is political", which focused on everyday inequalities. While the first wave focused primarily on political participation and legal equality, the second wave came to the fore topics such as sexuality, child rearing and professional equality. The influence of women's magazines was particularly important. A study of American sociologists examined how these magazines conveyed feminist content more accessible than established newspapers such as the New York Times, which primarily emphasized legal equality. Women's magazines such as good housekeeping and Ladies ’Home Journal conveyed feminist topics in personal stories, which made them connectable for a wider audience and made the concerns of the movement socially acceptable, the FAZ .

A central aspect of the feminist movement was the radicalization through actions against the abortion ban in Germany. In 1971, 374 women organized an action under the leadership of Alice Schwarzer, in which they publicly explained: "We aborted!" This was a turning point. The slogan "My belly belongs to me" developed into a symbol of the protest for physical self -determination. This mobilization was not only an expression of personal courage, but also a clear indication of the social and legal injustices that women experienced in the Federal Republic, as in the report of the ndr

social changes and resistance

The women's movement in the FRG was strongly influenced by the West German student movement of the late 1960s. The context was characterized by protests against the Vietnam War and the endeavor for a denazified education. Sexism was often marginalized within these left -wing structures, which led to a growing interest in feminist topics. In West Berlin, for example, numerous “children's shops” were created that promoted an alternative educational culture and rejected authoritarian educational styles. This made it clear that feminism went beyond legal questions and questioned social structures, as feminismus.de emphasized.

The feminist movement was diverse and included different currents such as radical feminism and liberal feminism. Actions and protest marches that took place in the 1970s led to a noticeable increase in public consciousness for women's rights. Although there were tensions within the movement - for example between White and Black Feminists in the USA - the goal of equality in work and society was consistently central. Despite the progress that women made, current considerations show that many of the topics at that time are still up to date. Women are still underrepresented in management positions and earn less than their male colleagues, which underlines the relevance of the feminist concerns from then to this day, as Angelika Henschel emphasizes.