Introduction 19Did you know that job advertisements in the
newspaper used to feature a “Help Wanted—
Men” column and a “Help Wanted—Women”
column? See Table 1.2 for some sample
advertisements.
Can you imagine an advertisement for
a receptionist today that requested an “at-
tractive young lady”? Can you imagine an
accountant position available only to men?
In recognition of the work that women per-
form inside the home, NOW popularized the
phrase “women who work outside the home.”concerned with abolition, temperance, and
child labor laws. These issues became “wom-
en’s issues” because women were the ones to
raise them. But these women discovered that
their low-status position in society kept their
voices from being heard. By gaining the right
to vote in 1920, women could promote their
causes. After that time, the women’s move-
ment remained fairly silent until the 1960s.
In 1963, Betty Friedan publishedThe
Feminine Mystique, in which she discussed
“the problem that has no name.” The prob-
lem was that women’s delegation to the
domestic sphere of life inhibited their oppor-
tunities for personal development. Women
were not active in the workforce or in the
political community. Friedan organized
the National Organization for Women, or
NOW, in 1966. The goal of this women’s
movement differed from the earlier move-
ments. Here, women were concerned with
their subordinate position in society and
sought to establish equal rights for women.
The purpose of NOW was to “take action to
bring women into full participation in the
mainstream of American society now, exer-
cising all the privileges and responsibilities
thereof, in truly equal partnership with men”
(Friedan, 1963, p. 384). In the epilogue to
The Feminine Mystique, Friedan explains that
NOW stood for the National Organization
forWomen rather than the National Organi-
zationofWomen because men must be in-
cluded to accomplish these goals.
NOW is the largest women’s rights or-
ganization in the United States. To date, it
includes more than a half million members and
is represented in all states. NOW’s goal is to
take action to ensure equality for women. Since
its formation, NOW has successfully chal-
lenged protective labor laws that kept women
from high-paying jobs as well as the sex clas-
sification of job advertisements in newspapers.TABLE 1.2 JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Help Wanted—Female
Assistant to Executive:
Girl Friday.
Assistant Bookkeeper-Biller:
Young, some steno preferred, but not
essential; bright beginner considered.
Assistant Bookkeeper-Typist:
Expd. all-around girl.
Secty-Steno:
Age 25–35 Girl Friday for busy treasurer’s
office.
Receptionist, 5-day wk:
Attractive young lady, good typist, knowl-
edge of monitor board.
Help Wanted—Male
Pharmacist:
To manage large chain-type indep. drug
store.
Refrigeration:
Shop servicemen, experienced.
Maintenance:
Foreman, mach. shop exp.
Accountant-Sr.:
For medium-sized firm, heavy experience,
auditing, audit program preparation, report
writing, and federal and state income tax.
Source: New York Times, June 11, 1953.M01_HELG0185_04_SE_C01.indd 19 6/21/11 12:18 PM