Women's Strike for Equality

The Women's Strike for Equality was a strike which took place in the United States on August 26, 1970. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment, which effectively gave American women the right to vote.^[1] The rally was sponsored by the National Organization for Women (NOW). Estimates ranged as high as 50,000 women at the protest in New York City^[2] and more protested throughout the country. At this time, the gathering was the largest on behalf of women in the United States.^[1] The strike, spearheaded by Betty Friedan, self-stated three primary goals: free abortion on demand, equal opportunity in the workforce, and free childcare.^[3] The strike also advocated for other second wave feminist goals more generally, such as political rights for women, and social equality in relationships such as marriage.