Betty Friedan, Her Life
3.) Betty was born at the beginning of the decade of change, coincidentally one year after the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote. The twenties were years of carefree living. Women were cutting their hair, shortening hemlines, and driving, now that the automobile was available. Her parents, Harry and Miriam Goldstein were very active in the jewish community and fairly wealthy. Betty grew up priviledged with butlers and maids tending to her every need. Despite all of this, Betty did not have the most enjoyable childhood. Growing up in a time when beauty was highly focused on, Betty had a number of physical ailments. She had bow legs and had to wear braces on them for three years. Bronchitis affected her every winter, which developed into asthma. She could hardly see out of one eye and had to wear glasses, and had crooked teeth. Harry and Miriam placed high value on appearances, which didn't agree with Betty. She never kept her room clean and didn't care about dresses and things. Her family members said she was too smart to be interested in ordinary things. She was also her father's favorite and he treated her like a son. Unfortunately,
Betty had many immediate friends throughout her youth. She was also a mischievous child. She would start clubs like the Baddy Baddy club (foreshadowing her numerous future organizations). Her and her schoolmates would plan certain times to drop their books or break out into coughing fits. Sadly, around junior high, anti-Semitism grew and those in the Jewish community were excluded from the many new sororities and fraternities. Her whole social whirl had come to an end. High school was thought to be a new beginning, but she still had problems. Betty overwhelmed people and had a bossy streak and strong opinions, which led her to become an outcast. 4.) Betty Friedan made a monumental change in women politics. She, not only, founded the National Organization for Women (NOW), but also helped organize the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) in 1971, the International Feminist Congress in 1973, and the First Women's Bank in that same year. The idea of NOW came about during a conversation, and was finalized at a Women's conference. Its constitution was written on a paper napkin. It's purpose was "to take action to bring women into the full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men." NOW has gone on to obtain more than a dozen resolutions on many different issues affecting women. Some of these include women in poverty, the Equal Right Amendment, and lesbian rights. the isolation she felt from other children because she was so different. her and her mother clashed. They were both controlling. Miriam dominated Betty, and Betty
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Approximate Word count = 1117
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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