Marriage, Divorce, and Equality Revolution
The Divorce Reform Act 1969 made ending marriages much easier by allowing couples to divorce after separation periods without proving anyone's fault. Most divorces were initiated by women, which feminists saw as escaping patriarchal marriage structures.
Workplace equality got a massive boost with the Equal Pay Act 1970 and later the Equality Act 2010, protecting women from discrimination and ensuring fair wages. These laws gave women the financial independence to make real choices about their lives.
The Marriage Same−sexCouples Act 2013 surprised everyone by coming from a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, showing how social attitudes had shifted. Meanwhile, policies like the Married Couple Tax Allowance and Child Support Agencies tried to encourage traditional nuclear families through financial incentives.
New Right supporters consistently opposed most of these changes, arguing they undermined natural family structures and damaged children by removing traditional male role models from homes.
Remember: These policies didn't just change laws - they fundamentally reshaped what British families look like today.