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Introduction of the contraceptive pill
The contraceptive pill was launched in 1961. The pill suppresses women's fertility using the hormones progestogen or oestrogen (or both). In 1961 it was available to married women only, but availability was extended in 1967. -
Married Women's Property Act revision
The Married Women's Property Act was first introduced in 1870. It allowed women to be the legal owners of money they earned, and to inherit property. Prior to this Act, everything a woman owned or earned became her husband's property when she married. Revisions in 1882 and 1893 extended married women's rights. The 1964 revision allowed married women to keep half of any savings they'd made from the allowance paid to them by their husbands. -
Abortion Act
The 1967 Act legalised abortion in the UK, for women who were up to 24 weeks pregnant. Two consenting doctors had to agree that continuing the pregnancy would be harmful either to the woman's physical or mental health, or to the child's physical or mental health when it was born. -
Ford machinists' strike, Dagenham
In 1968, 850 women machinists at the Ford factory in Dagenham went on strike over equal pay. They disputed the classification of their work as unskilled - a label which seemed to justify them being paid less than their male colleagues. -
Leeds clothing workers strike
A strike by Leeds women clothing workers was initiated after the union accepted a low wage rise that discriminated against women. 20,000 women from 45 factories marched in protest. The event was later made into the Play for Today film Leeds - United! - -
Miss World Protest
The Miss World beauty pageant had been held annually in the UK since 1951. Women from all over the world competed within their own countries, and then came to London to compete for 'Miss World' crown. Feminists threw flour-bombs at the 1970 Miss World contest in 1970, protesting against what they saw as the objectification of women. They found the very idea of judging women solely on their looks to be insulting and undermining. Jo Robinson was one of the women who took part in the protest. -
Night Cleaners' strikes
The Women's Liberation Movement sought to unionise night cleaners, who worked in dangerous and low-paid jobs. Two strikes in the early 1970s resulted in greater awareness of the cleaners' (mainly women) working conditions. Unionisation was difficult, especially as cleaning work was increasingly privatised during the 1970s. Sally Alexander was active in supporting the women cleaners. -
Sex Discrimination Act
The Sex Discrimination Act was passed to 'render unlawful certain kinds of sex discrimination and discrimination on the ground of marriage, and establish a Commission with the function of working towards the elimination of such discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity between men and women generally. -
Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act
This act enabled married women to obtain a court order against their violent husbands without divorce or separation proceedings. A court could order a man out of the matrimonial home, whether or not he owned it or tenancy was in his name. Problems arose because this protection did not apply to unmarried women. -
Margaret Thatcher becomes first woman Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher, Conservative politician and MP for Finchley from 1959-1992, became the first woman Prime Minister of the UK in 1979. Serving until 1990, her 11 years in post make her the longest serving British Prime Minister. Her hard-line politics led to her being known as the 'Iron Lady'. -
Diane Abbott becomes first black woman to be elected to House of Commons
Diane Abbott is a Labour politician and has served as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987. She has been Shadow Minister for Public Health since 2010. When she was elected to Parliament in 1987 she became the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons. -
Julie Hayward is the first woman to win a case under the amended Equal Pay Act
Julie Hayward was a canteen cook at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Liverpool. Her work was valued as less skilled than that of her male colleagues and she was therefore paid less. She took her case to court under the amended Equal Pay Act and eventually, won her battle.
