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The Changing Role Of Women In The 20th Century

1021 Words5 Pages

The women of the 20th century, often struggled with beauty and fashion restricting their clothing options. Women were thought to be weak and a symbol of being delicate and fragile. In the 50’s, women were simply expected to get married to a wealthy man, stay at home, and raise children while her husband worked to provide for the family. During world war II, the role of women changed drastically. Since men were off fighting for the country, women stepped into their roles as factory workers. Some even took it a step further by joining the military. When peace returned to the American men, so did their idea of normalcy. Women were expected to trade their hard earned paychecks for an apron and return to being feminine. Makeup was considered an essential part of a woman’s routine along with short bob cut hair and stiletto heels. The few women that had the required education for a career, they were expected to wear nothing less than freshly pressed dresses, heels, gloves, and a hat. In any formal situation, pants were unacceptable. The only place a women could wear pants is when she is sitting at home taking care of the kids. During a speech by women’s rights activist Shirley Chisholm, she pointed out the immense need for equal rights in the workplace. “Discrimination against women, solely on the basis of their sex, is so widespread that it seems to many persons normal, natural and right. Legal expression of prejudice on the grounds of religious or political belief has become a

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