1940s Women's Roles

Societal changes that created greater opportunities for women in education also had an impact on the workplace. From a modest role early in the 20th century that essentially limited women to teaching, domestic work, and retail, further changes after World War II expanded job horizons for women in fields traditionally reserved for men. World War II was a principal reason for this change, as the nation’s war needs created a shortage of available working men, which made opportunities for women to assume factory jobs and other work typically done by men. While women often were not able to retain those jobs after the war ended, the experience created a precedent that women were capable of doing the same work as men. It also made many women recognize

The women’s rights movement being an extensive movement helped women to occupy better jobs and higher positions “Increased access to leadership positions is an important achievement because – in terms of gender – the field is more level now: some women will be allies, some are not, but no one is excluded only for being a woman”. Today, women can choose to occupy the jobs that were once titled only for men and they have an equal employment opportunity “Because of workplace rights, women enjoy freedom to work in almost any position they choose. They join the armed forces, work as cab drivers, own businesses and become executives in large corporations” Women can now become ministers, juries, senates, and even the president “1975 — In Taylor v. Louisiana, the court denies states the right to exclude women from juries….1981 — Sandra Day O’Connor is appointed as the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice… 1997 — Madeleine Albright is sworn in as U.S. Secretary of State. She is the first woman in this position.”

The 1960s’ was when civil rights and feminist movements were occurring. American society was undergoing a major amount of social transformations. The courts felt women were needed more at home then in court. Women were allowed to be fired if they were pregnant.

This was another hit in the ballpark for women after putting a reform in the way she should dress. They argued that “She is as fully entitled as man to vote and to be eligible in office.. she is entitled to a voice in fixing the amount of taxes” (Document F). Opportunities for women were mainly just nursing, domestic services, and teaching it was limited, with their increase in intelligence they deserved to have their voices heard. What the women strived for back then has helped our world today because both sexes can achieve whatever dream they want and work for it.

The women of this movement were fighting for something they believed they deserve. Because of the Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolution, women were able to express their own opinions. The women’s rights movement led to many different events, impacted other countries, and created a new amendment. The feminist efforts in the mid 1800s were successful enough to allow women to take on occupations and educations they weren’t able to obtain

Some of the adjustments made during this time included women holding a higher social status, attending Ivy League colleges, defending a client in court, and holding high-ranked political offices. The bringing about of these new changes not only helped the feminist group progress but helped encourage other innovated groups to progress as well. Today their example has helped shape feminist groups that are still pushing for more of an equal status to men. Although not easy, women were able to overcome many unique challenges during this era and therefore made it possible for women to gain equal rights reshaping our country to what it is

Women played an important roles during World War II throughout the world; they gave their time, energy, and some even gave their lives. The War also transformed women's roles in the workplace and society, but for many, it did not last forever. Many had to do work that men did before the war. However, most of the works needed professional and outstanding skills.

I believe that despite all controversial views this event was a huge shift for social change and future breakthrough in this area. For the American feminist movement such impetus was the successful story of the suffrage movement during the First World War, including the adoption of the 19th Amendment. The history of women’s struggle for their rights is very long and sometimes seems endless. “The Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries opened up job opportunities for women, released them from domestic confines and provided them with new social freedoms” (Repetto, 2010,

Feminism: the advocacy of women 's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.

This all started to change with the suffrage movement in that women started to enter the professional workforce, obtain higher levels of education, and became more involved in political life resulting in a shift of gender roles as women were entering long held male domains (McCammon et al., 2001, p. 53). Haferkamp and Smelser (1992) discuss further changes regarding social equality and how in the 1970’s the social movements of the 1960’s shifted towards women’s rights. This is when women focused on equal opportunities both in private and public capacities (Haferkamp & Smelser, 1992, p.

Drafts would begin taking place throughout countries. When young men reach the age of 18 they are immediately put into the draft, if your are selected, you are sent off to join war. Drafts were put into place is almost every country during World War I, countries always needed more soldiers up at the front fighting, the draft was their solution. With the draft taking away many of the young men from their daily work at home, women would begin to take over the jobs the men had left behind. They would begin doing things such as farming, becoming doctors, factory working, and helping

The Effect of Women on the Outcome of World War Two World War II effected women tremendously by taking them out of their comfort zones and chucking them into the work force and pushing them to do most of the work men normally would have been doing. The war also effected women by providing opportunities for them to serve in non-traditional roles; in fact, some of them enlisted into the military to serve the United States. The way the war effected women is that they had to take care of family in addition to performing work normally done by men. It was difficult to find people to watch after kids which made life during this time very difficult. After the end of World War II society in general was effected considering the baby boom.

Women have always played an important role in the history of the United States. Throughout different time periods, their roles in society and in government have changed in many ways. Whether women were helping the war manufacturing effort, striving for suffrage, helping soldiers during the war, or just raising their children; their roles have been influential to the social structure of the United States today. Their desire for equal rights, their willingness to help American soldiers, and the absence of men in the workplace are responsible for the changing role of women.

The last big change that any women had seen had been forty years before when women earned the right to vote. Birth control was going to lead the way for many more changes. Housewives finally got to see a change in their lifestyle and unmarried women were no longer considered to be the outcasts. Women were now able to enter the workforce but with limited job opportunities. However, in 1964, five months before Kisses for My President was released, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 allowed for more job opportunities and outlawed discrimination against race, color, sex, national origin, and religion.

Woman have been fighting for equality for a long time. We are still fighting to today to close the wage gap between men and women. The women's movement fought for their unalienable rights and the right to vote. The arguments of the women's movements were revolutionary.