Last night’s episode of Mad Men was just incredible. It had a little something for historians everywhere — but it tackled two very big subjects for the FEMINIST SET. One was the abortion that the buxom redhead had. The other? The black playboy bunny, and what happened.
I want to take you to the 70’s — so that you can see one of the Second Wave Feminist’s role models. Faye Dunaway. She is an example of a woman rising in business in the era that my generation was growing up. See what you can see that is different from the women in the show Mad Men.
It’s about power.
Hers.
This is the movie “Network.”
This is another. “Last Tango in Paris.”
If you take a look at what is going in these two you can get an idea of the sexual Second Wave woman.
She wanted equality, on the job and in bed — and she did not expect to commit to the first man she slept with.
This film, The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio is just exquisite — because it shows what was going on for women who were housewives. Take a look at how she makes money in the 1960’s — and what happens to her. You can watch the whole movie in the web. I think this is one of Julianne Moore’s finest performances. This is the life that Second Wave women did not want.
What is most important in the film is to watch how little power she has — because of the patriarchy.
As her power increases, her husband’s anger rises. And wait til you see what the priest does.
Take a look at this to understand more themes about women of the 70’s and patriarchy —
The film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”
Watch the trailer in terms of the man — how he acts as patriarchy.
A huge role model for me in the 70’s was Ali MacGraw in the film Love Story
The Radcliffe girl! Second Wavers were going to go to college. They were not going to be stay at home women. How boring! That is how we felt.
My gen grew up with the original Saturday Night Live —
Funny clip below on patriarchy…. (and the new feminist in the 70’s) what doesn’t he like?
Annie Hall — she was like a lot of us…
This is what happened to my generation…
At work.
The Second Wave Feminist achieved equality in the workforce. She may or may not have wanted children. She may or may not have had children. Her career was no different than male careers at this time. She had financial independence, and she worked very, very hard. Males still dominated corporate culture. Listen to the clip and you can see how patriarchy reacts to her.
It’s amazing, what he says about “his wife.”
And what he says to her. This is how you can understand patriarchy.
VALENTINE BONNAIRE - WRITER 