To better understand this question, this week's lesson focused on a couple of different readings that explored the movements and the reasons for their downfall. In their own way, these readings show why the movements failed and the reasoning behind this. The first reading that analyzes this question is “The Decline of the Women's Movement” by Barbara Epstein. She focuses her analysis on first- and second-wave feminism and the reasons for their failure. The First Wave movement was primarily composed of middle- and upper-class white women and began during the abolitionist movement in which women became affiliated with the anti-slavery and anti-racism movements. When the Civil War ended and women were not granted expanded suffrage, they abandoned their alliance with blacks. This movement was then based on women's suffrage and the right to vote. The problem this movement faced was that “even first-wave feminism has moved, throughout its history, toward a narrow vision that isolated it from other progressive movements” (p. 377). Although this movement changed many views in society, the reason why they failed was because they withdrew their alliances. Not long after the onset of second wave feminism, sexuality became their primary focus along with broader views regarding the workplace, family, and reproductive rights. Women have focused their energies on passing the Equal Rights Amendment which would guarantee them social equality and the right to have freedom in the choices they make. “Radical feminists wanted gender equality in the workplace, and most liberal feminists wanted a more egalitarian society” (p.379). The second wave used a more rebellious approach; radical feminists considered patriarchy… at the heart of the paper… keeping their society safe and fighting for the same goal is through nation building. Through these readings we can now analyze the question of why movements decrease. Movements decline for numerous reasons, and the authors of these readings used different arguments to answer this question. Even though some of these movements we talk about have brought some changes to our society, they have not won their battle yet. The only way for a movement to remain strong and successful is to have people on the same page, willing to fight until the end for a common goal. In my opinion, I think the gay/lesbian movement will be the next to triumph because they are the only people in America today who are not accepted by society. This gives them the motivation needed to fight for what they believe in and to make society realize that sex is not the way to define a person..