What was a central focus of Second Wave Feminism?

• A. Voting rights
• B. Civil rights
• C. Workplace equality and economic opportunity
• D. Reproductive rights

Answer: (C)

Second Wave feminism focused on dismantling gender barriers in the economic and professional world. Activists argued for equal pay, fair hiring practices, access to education and advancement, and protections against workplace discrimination, all aimed at giving women real economic independence. This emphasis on workplace equality and economic opportunity became the defining organizing theme of the movement from the 1960s through the 1980s. While reproductive rights and civil rights issues were important parts of the broader movement, the sustained push that shaped its agenda was the push for economic equality in the workplace.