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10 Things That American Women Couldn’t Do Before 1970
They could be fired for being pregnant
Feminism and women’s liberation were in full force during the 1960s and 1970s. Thankfully, those efforts created essential change for American women and paved the way for further action against sex-based discrimination.
Prior to 1970, women had made some headway in the quest for equality. In 1920, after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, they obtained the right to vote in all 50 states. Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first female member of the House of Representatives in 1917. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, which protected women from sex-based wage discrimination.
These milestones were just the beginning, however, as being a woman before 1970 allowed for various injustices, opportunities for discrimination, and abuse. Here are 10 examples:
Women weren’t guaranteed that they would not be fired for becoming pregnant
If a woman went to her boss and told them that she was pregnant, prior to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, she could legally be fired. Women could also not be hired for a position that she was qualified for based on the fact that she was pregnant or simply of child-bearing age…
