Housewife, simply a label?

When I found out that we were assigned to read this book and that it was based on housewives partaking in a social movement, I nearly burst out laughing and thought to myself, what? How could they possibly have been active in a movement when they were constantly expected by society to fulfill their roles as a woman in the house? Where did they find the time? After reading the entire book, I must say, I am shocked and it makes me very content to know the changes that these women made and pushed for. Overall, I'm very impressed. Today though, I don't see many women doing the same thing, and just like Gloria Steinem says, "No historian, activist, or self-respecting woman should be without this book." It makes me think, if more housewives or women in general in this nation were to read this book, would they do the same things or similar to the things the women of WSP did? I feel as if most women today feel as if we are in a post feminist period where they think that women are now equal and have rights just like men do. False.
The women of WSP showed society then and now that it was possible to fulfill the duties of motherhood while still being in active in current politics. Something that stuck out to me the most was when they fought against the draft for the Vietnam war and when they went further by going to schools and educating men on the other options they had and how they fought for those who were vulnerable due to race and class. They made me aware of issues that I would never have thought of. They offered free information about resisting the draft to those who needed it and were interested, "the WSP women knew from their experiences as mothers of draft-age sons that this was the kind of help all families, regardless of race, class, or ethnicity, needed, and they were willing, able, and proud to provide it" (Swerdlow 163). These women found it important that these men be informed on what could happen to them because they felt as if it was their right to know as citizens of this country. They also chose to "not consider or understand the economic or geopolitical issues at play in Vietnam" (Swerdlow 164). They found it significant that they focus on ending the draft and not associate with the other factors of the war. WSP fought for draft counseling in high schools and didn't always succeed and when they did they "organized 'End the Draft' Caravans that travelled to blue collar and minority neighborhoods to counsel young men who had no access to information on legal alternatives to being drafted for Vietnam" (Swerdlow 170). They found it important that these men be aware of the options they had and that they did not have to go to war to secure their future. From what I got from reading the book, I feel as if the women of WSP felt that in order to secure the future of our country, and more importantly, the lives of all young men in this country, we had to secure their future, but not through war, but through other options such as education and that global problems could be solved without violence or any sort of physical confrontation.
Why is this important that the women of WSP did this? Its important in that they stuck to what they chose to fight for, which is peace and noticed that along with the war, the draft was disturbing the peace they were striving for. They also noticed other social issues at hand that connected to the draft such as how certain people were vulnerable due to their race or class. They recognized that even in the draft, privilege played a big role. It is important that they paid attention to those who were less privileged because they recognized the power structures within the institution of drafting and worked to help them and educate them about the other options they had. I also see the women of WSP helping the vulnerable men because if those were their children, they would want them to be properly educated on the options they had and that they had control over their future. In this aspect I would say that the women of WSP stepped out of their traditional roles by being active within society instead of staying at home all the time but also dipped their feet into the expected nurturing characteristics of motherhood when helping those in need. Overall, this book really displayed the women of WSP in a bright light and has shown society that women can manage both the household while fighting for peace or the rights of others and that maybe the actions of these women will inspire others to do the same or more.