Discuss the restructuring of the American economy and accompanying changing governmental policies during the 1980s. How did these changes in the economy and public policy affect women, especially poor and nonwhite women?

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• ReaganThe 1960s and 1970s marked a period of great change in America with increased popularity of birth control, changing ideas about sexual behavior, rising divorce rates, the legal status of abortions, and the acceptance of gays and lesbians. The election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 marked the beginning of a conservative revolution that sought to return America to more “traditional” values. Conservatives formed the New Right, which was led by Phyllis Schlafly and the Eagle Forum, and partnered with the Religious Right. The Religious Right, also known as the Moral Majority, was led by Rev. Jerry Falwell. President Reagan delivers keynote speech at Washington, D.C. convention center conference, “Baptist Fundamentalism ’84,” led by the Rev Jerry Falwell. 1984. Source: WikiCommons.Reagan campaigned on the promise “to get the government off our backs,” specifically taking aim at feminist programs. Reagan filled vacancies on the Commission on Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with men who did not support the mandate of those agencies to address past discrimination on the grounds of race or sex. His budget cuts took away funding from federal programs that assisted poor women and children, especially welfare. Although there were more women than ever in the American workforce, they continued to be limited to low-paying service jobs. Women were much more likely to live in poverty than men and were more affected by the cuts in welfare and other social programs. You can watch Reagan’s Address to the Nation on Welfare Reform here. Reagan defended his policies on welfare with anecdotal stories about “The Welfare Queen,” a woman that drove around in a Cadillac while defrauding the government of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Interesting enough, these stories were based on a real woman and you can here more about her story here. Discrimination in the WorkplaceIn 1978, the Supreme Court decided the case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which invalidated the practice of affirmative action. Click here for an overview of the case. Opponents off affirmative action cried that these practices were effectively “reverse discrimination” against white men. Reagan fought against any type of federal regulation of businesses, including affirmative action. His efforts were largely unsuccessful due to efforts by opposition groups. A rally support of overturning the California Supreme Court’s decision in Bakke v. Regents of the University of California . 1977. Source: WikiCommons.Women have faced sexual harassment in the workplace since they first entered the workforce, although the most notorious instance would be that of Anita Hill. In 1991, President George Bush nominated a black Republican, Clarence Thomas, to the Supreme Court. During the confirmation hearings, Anita Hill testified that she had been sexually harassed by Clarence Thomas. Her testimony was very graphic and provided repeated examples of Thomas making inappropriate comments of a sexual nature despite Hill’s repeated requests that he stop. Click here for an overview of the hearings. Although the hearings brought the topic of sexual harassment to the forefront of Americans’ minds, many Senators respond to Hill’s accusations by suggesting that she somehow “asked for it.” A male dominated Congress ultimately confirmed Thomas later that year. Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. 1991. Source: WikiCommons.ConclusionIn conclusion, please take a moment to ponder the status of gender in America today. Do women have equal opportunity in education and career? Do women face limitations in their careers due to their reproductive capacities? Do men face limitations in their careers due to their reproductive capacities? Do American men and women have equitable roles in families? Take a moment to check out the Ted Talk, Why Gender Equality Is Good For Everyone, Men Included. Michael Kimmel offers a serious, but humorous, perspective on the topic. Of course America has come a long way throughout our history, and frankly, gender relations are vastly better in America than they are in many other parts of the world. Having said that, I encourage you all to take a moment and listen to President Jimmy Carter’s talk “Why I Believe The Mistreatment of Women Is The Number One Human Rights’ Abuse.” There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure true equality in America and the world. References/Works Cited:Janet L. Coryell and Nora Faires, A History of Women in America, 1st ed.., 11.

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The changes in economy during the 1980s in the United States increased tension, considering that this was a time that was marked as the conservative revolution. During this time, political and social beliefs followed American traditions, whereby conservatives opposed practices like abortion, homosexuality, and their changing ideas of birth control practices[1]. President Ronald Reagan is known for setting the standards of conservative ideologies in the 1980s. Measures that the president took, like making budget cuts in federal programs that…