The Difference between the Feminist Movement of 1960 and that of Today
In the book “Female Chauvinist Pigs” Levy tries examine and make sense of the radical cultural, social and economic difference in the definition of feminism by two generation. Levy struggles to make sense the two generation mutually exclusive definition of feminism, what it means and what it should stand for.
The feminist's movement of the 1960s and 1970s drew inspiration from the civil rights movement. It was made up mainly of members of the middle class, and thus partook of the spirit of rebellion that affected large segments of middle-class youth in the 1960s.Thee feminist movement of the 1960 fought for women liberation, they had series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, voting rights, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. The movement of this period fought to achieve women's civil liberty rights, eradication of gender discrimination at workplace and in education centers, eliminating discrimination in wages, sexual revolution, reproductive rights and subsequently, amending the laws pertaining to cater for women’s need.
According to the book the 1960 feminist movement was a major advocate in pushing congress to pass the Equal Pay Act in 1963, which made it illegal to pay a man more money than a woman for doing the same job and the civil rights Act in 1964 that banned discrimination on basis of race, sex and religion. The act also made it illegal for businesses to reserve specific jobs for men or women and also for businesses to fire woman for getting pregnant. Organization such as the Nation Organization for women (NOW), National Association for the Repeal Of Abortion Laws (NARL) fought hard under the feminist movement for the right of women to govern their own sexuality .In 1972 the supreme court extended the rights to birth control to unmarried women. In the following year the famous Roe vs. Wade which legalized abortion was finally law, and for the first time women finally able to have full control of their bodies.
On economic matters, the feminist movement advocated for workplace rights, including maternity leave, and against other forms of gender-specific discrimination against women. Women were able to work instead of being confined to traditionally roles imposed on them by society.
Feminist leaders in the 1970s Women’s Rights Movement were an intriguing array of personalities. Their activism took various roles from organizing strikes and marches, writing books and articles to creating awareness about women’s issues. These women ardently struggled for equal rights and forever impacted future generations with their passion and activism.
On the contrary we have the new generation movement that defines feminism as freedom of women to themselves sexually. The new generation derives its own definition of being feminist now thus are sexuality librated and free to what they want to with their bodies. They believe that being feminists is being able to wearing make-up, suggestive clothing and having a sexual allure to both men and women is empowering. This new generation feminist find it empowering to present their sexuality outwardly because it is a personal choice they make and not because of societal pressure. They however associate sex with power and the power of sexual attraction as power over men. This new generation believes that women are already been empowered and have earned the right to sexually express themselves however they deem fit. This generation believes that the toleration of their sexual explicitness and raunchiness only mean that women are now on the same pars as men. This two generation clash in her reason in that while one is trying to abolish the dehumanization of the female stereotype while the other is trying to resurrect it and embraces the perverse culture (Levy 4). Levy explains how in her generation the feminist movements fourth for the right of women to be recognized as human and not objectified like pieces of meat. Levy also disagrees with the views of organizations such as CAKE, Play Boy, and Girls Gone Wild which provides sexually-oriented/explicit entertainment for women to be objectified under the false premise of sexually liberating them. Levy quotes from the CAKE website: "The new sexual revolution is where sexual equality and feminism finally meet."(Levy 76)
On the other end of the spectrum, Levy takes issue with women who make their way in a man's world by playing by men's rules. Sometimes, she argues, these women even make their fame and fortune by objectifying other women; for example, Levy finds it interesting that the Playboy organization is currently run by a woman, Christie Hefner, Hugh Hefner's daughter. In addition Levy addresses those women who make their way in their fields legitimately, but shy away from feminism, saying: "But if you are the exception that proves the rule, and the rule is that women are inferior, you haven't made any progress." (Levy 35)
In this new feminist movement women want to be men and by so doing they objectify themselves not for pleasure but for (Levy 4)The Women in the new feminisms movement the women want to be one of the guys or “experienced like a man(Levy 5).The women wanted to be accepted and be cool and on par with the male by going to strip clubs .Levy say “women in America now don’t want to be excluded from anything anymore: not the board meeting or the cigar that follows it, or lately the trip to the strip club”(Levy 4).
With this new generation redefinition of what feminism means., Levy shows us that Female Chauvinist Pigs are perhaps even more fully enslaved than their mothers and grandmothers were. Rather than being enslaved by men and patriarchy, they are now enslaving themselves while thinking they are free. The Female Chauvinist Pig locks herself inside a cage that is all the more insidious for the fact that she does not see it and cannot feel it. They are modeling themselves on a vision of a woman that is seen through the male gaze, and defining themselves according to what men want and need, and acting in ways that they believe men will find more acceptable and inviting, never realizing that they are not acting as empowered women. They are, in fact, acting as empowered men.

Everyone is fighting for freedom but when it came to sex freedom means different things to different people (Levy88).Even if you are a woman who achieves the ultimate and becomes like a man, you will always still be a woman. And as long as womanhood is thought of as something to escape from, something less than manhood, you will be thought less of, too. But overall, Levy goes beyond simply pointing out the problem or faulting women for their complicity. She offers up her own vision of true freedom and power: true sexual liberation entails making room for "the variety of human desire" and "allowing ourselves to figure out what we want from sex instead of mimicking whatever popular culture holds up to us as sexy.