Trilogy of 1940’s Women Brittanie Glover Baker College of Clinton Township Trilogy of 1940’s Women During the 1940’s women's roles and expectations in society were changing rapidly. Women had very little say in society and were stereotyped as stay home, baby makers, and to be a good home maker and wife. The 40's were different, life for women was expanding, the men were at war and someone had to step up and take their place. Not only did the women have to take care of home, they now had to take care of the finances while still looking awesome. Women in the 40’s began entering to workforce, working in factories, labored jobs and became the attention of society in the entertainment industry, some even started to join or volunteer in
Before World War I, women had few rights. But their experience in the Great War changed that forever. Their views towards life changed or improved, and by the middle of the 19th century, women were demanding equality with men. They wanted the right to vote in elections and an equal chance to work and get educated. They also wanted the right to have their own possessions, to divorce their husbands, and to keep their children after divorce.
Once the war-ended women got laid off from their jobs as men took them back. The postwar culture embraced a contradiction between the tensions of domestic ideals and individual success. This was hard for women because during World War II expectations were raised of what life could be like. Women believed it was possible to imagine these duel roles to experience economic dependence; however this ends
He warns women against vocations of preaching or politics, explaining that they can influence public opinion in their homes and communities.” They were strictly housewives and were destined to raise children. As the Industrial Revolution began, the women became more active in the labor force. The Industrial Revolution seemed to be a turning point for many women. Due to the Civil War and the start of the Industrial Revolution, women became involved in more labor-intensive jobs. Although the Industrial Revolution started before the war, with men leaving to fight for the Confederacy or the Union, women needed to start taking the places of men.
To understand the rise of the women’s movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s, one must look at the cultural ideology of the time, as well as, other influences that might have sparked unrest within the female community. In the essays, “Cold War Ideology and the Rise of Feminism” by Elaine Tyler May and “Women’s Liberation and Sixties Radicalism” by Alice Echols, both historians discuss the women’s movement/protest and how it came to be. While the women’s liberation movement meant equality and the end to sex discrimination to many women, Echols and May offer different explanations on the rise of the women’s movement, and differences on the limitations that women discovered in trying to attain their goals through the movement. These differences in perspective may be observed through the historians’ writing, placing emphasis on how long they talk about each cause of the rise of feminism. To understand the feminist movement and their goals, one must first look at the history and popular culture before the sixties and seventies.
599). The union organizers wanted to improve working conditions for women during this era. Informing as many women as possible to protest for better working conditions as well as better pay. Since the nineteenth century women in the workforce have been under hostile conditions. Women continue to suffer penalties in the workforce for having children while working a job.
During and after World War II, women's magazine served as an advice quide, fashion manual, marriage counselor, catalog and more. This collection of magazines and journals entries provide a resource for understanding how the popular press comprehended and attempted to influence women's behavior, goals and values in the postwar era. History shows that women have been categorized only as housekeepers and nurturers, a fact that continues to torment those women who strive for political and business careers today. The conspicuous images from World War II women's magazines reveal the cultural inclination to focus on women's intrinsic duties of family and home, with a emphasis on fashion and beauty, even during a time of shortage, rationing, and
As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others.” (Cavalier, 2002) With the Women’s Rights Movement, there were a lot of pros and cons that can about, mostly positives. Women are now seen in a different light after a long deliberation and fighting. Most of the country is more so scared of the fact women are rising from the wood works. They are taking charge of positions and moving on and changing this societies culture. Culture is the “particular ways of belief in society and ways of life; a way of thinking, behaving, or working
Friedan brings emotion and anger to the plight of women in her era of feminism, highlighting a political issue that remained out of the spotlight for far too long. Modern feminists can learn a lot from Friedan as a pioneer for women speaking out for what they believe despite it being unpopular. Though her work mainly discussed the feelings of white middle class women, her work led to a more comprehensive study of oppression on multiple levels, called intersectionality. Though not a politician herself, Friedan was able to take steps towards bringing on meaningful political change, a problem many women are still facing today especially in the abortion debate. Friedan and Gilman’s work have formed the touchstones for the current feminist movements and will continue to play a huge role as women work to advance their rights further in the coming years.
During the turn of the century they were still defined as mothers and wives and struggled to earn the right to vote. Even in the Roaring Twenties, once women had gained to right to vote and had more freedom over the way they dressed and behaved, the still could not have fulfilling careers. The fifties marked a time when the American family closely resembled the values of the Cult of Domesticity with the ideal aproned housewife and working husband. Even today women still struggle to be paid as much as men in the same positions and to be seen not just as mothers and daughters. Though the Cult of Domesticity is long gone, we still suffer from the ramifications of it and the society from which it was