Rosie The Riveter Symbolism

The symbolic icon of Rosie the Riveter contributed greatly to women joining the workforce in the United States during World War II, later becoming a symbol of female empowerment. Women were no longer considered the typical housewife; she was now the working wife as nearly one-fourth of married women worked outside the home (History). These women who started working during World War II were referred to as “Rosies,” hence, the name Rosie the Riveter (Alchin). Rosie was a symbol representing the women who worked during war times (Sanders). The birth of Rosie the Riveter was as propaganda during the second world war. A poster with the words “We Can Do It” plastered near the top with a feminine woman wearing bright red lipstick while pulling up her sleeve is shown below the words was created. The poster was created by a man named J. Howard Miller in 1942 for the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee. It was originally intended to boost morale but not to recruit women workers (Sarah). It was also used to encourage women to work harder during the war, especially since factories were shortly employed when the men were off fighting in the war. However, the poster later became a very important symbol for the women who worked in factories during the

Rosie the Riveter’s contribution to the United States is remarkable. She was able to get over 18 million women to join the workforce. She became the face for women workers in the second world war. She aided in the women’s right movement as well as the civil rights movement. The representation of women has been forever changed since the introduction of Rosie. Rosie showed that women weren’t just housewives. She showed that women were able to take on the same jobs as men, and she also helped women to join the workforce in order to help the United States win the