Gender Stereotypes In Ww2 Essay

World War II (WWII) began on September 1, 1939 and ended September 2, 1945. The United States opted to stay neutral for the better part of two years at the start of the war, however after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress elected to go to war on December 8th, 1941. United States citizens rushed to join the charge and defend their country against its enemies. Rosie the Riveter became the image of a working woman on the homefront that many aspired to be. This image of the working woman doing the man's leftover job on the homefront is what many still see today when they picture a WWII women doing her part. However, many women wanted to be more involved in the war effort then by just taking up odd jobs, they wanted to enlist and give their services to the United States Armed Forces. American women's

Women continued to break down gender stereotypes throughout the war. The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) were unique to the women's war effort because they took jobs that were originally designed for men while other WAAC women took up jobs designed especially for them. A pilot's job was the most coveted by men in wars and the idea that a women would be not only able to perform well in it but that it was offered to them was shocking and offensive to the men who usually claimed these coveted jobs. WASP towed targets for aerial and ground-to-air gunnery practice, made test and demonstration flights, and served as flight instructors. Although women pilots were paid only $3,000 for a man’s $3,600 they still pushed past the discrimination to follow through in their activities. The WASPs performed jobs that weren’t designed for women to do unlike the WAAC and their jobs often put them in dangerous even life threatening positions. They flew planes in war zones and 38 died while in service to their countries. However since they were in civilian service their funerals were not paid for and their families received no recognition. As men were