Feminism in the 20th century

From the 1920s until the second half of the 1960s, feminism lost its power. In the late sixties she resurrected, with a 'second feminist wave' as a result.

New ideas

The analyzes of the subordinate position of women in society from the first wave are further expanded in the 'second wave' and enriched with new ideas. The diversity within feminism was also visible.

Between first and second wave

During the crisis of the thirties, attempts were made in various countries to reduce the paid labor of women. Women often earned less and were therefore sometimes more popular for certain jobs than men. That is why the paid work of women was seen as a threat to male labor.

Spearheads

In the first as well as in the second feminist wave, four major battlefields can be identified: labor, education, politics and the whole field of sexuality, marriage and family. Lesbian women had a leading role in the women's movement. In the 1980s, black women demanded awareness for, among other things, their dual discrimination.

Feminism in the 20th century

Feminism and Religion

Within all religions, women have always offered resistance to the male perspective and the exclusion of women.

Striking and sailing

On March 30th 1981, the day before the bill on abortion would be addressed by the Upper Chamber, women in the Netherlands went on strike. They laid down their paid and unpaid work that day in order to protest. The strike was against a number of issues, such as the deteriorating position of women, unemployment […]

Corselets and stiletto heels

The debate over which dress for women is oppressive and dysfunctional, is already old. In 1899, an association fought for clothing in which women could walk, sit an work.

Publishing company De Bonte Was

This is a poster made by Feminist publisher De Bonte Was (Colored Wash) for a stand on the Emancipade, an event held from the 20th of May until the 8th of June 1975 in Utrecht. Foundation De Bonte Was was founded in 1974, and evolved from women’s discussion groups in the Women’s Center in Amsterdam. The women […]

Second feminist wave buttons

At Atria, you will find hundreds of these kind of buttons. They were made to make demands and wishes visible.

‘Veterans’ of the women’s movement

On the 23rd of January 1937, a special dinner took place in Utrecht. It was organized by the Jongeren Werkcomité of the Nederlandsche Vereeniging voor Vrouwenbelangen en Gelijk Staatsburgerschap (Youth section of the Dutch Association for Women’s interests and Equal Citizenship). We do not know for sure, but it is possible that the women present […]

Goose board game

The national initiative ‘Op de vrouw af’ (Straightforward/Point-blank*) aimed at raising awareness among women about their limited social possibilities. Action groups such as Dolle Mina (Mad Mina) and Man Vrouw Maatschappij (Man Woman Society), but also radio, television and traditional women’s magazines united themselves to draw attention to the importance of paid labor for women, the lack of […]

Purple September

Purple September and Mad Mina are arguably the most well-known action groups from the second feminist wave in the Netherlands. There are however clear differences between the two groups. Purple September proclaimed that being a lesbian would be a political choice. Furthermore, one could not become a member of the group and Purple September consistenly refused to talk […]

Feminism in the 20th century

New ideas

Between first and second wave

Spearheads

Feminism in the 20th century

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