American Women
After the First World War, the traditional roles of women were redefined. Initially, duty and sacrifice are what defined the roles of women. Feminism began in the 1920s, with women advocating for equal rights the same as men. It was during this time that women’s suffrage movement began. This period was marked with other movements that campaigned against slavery and demanded equality. The main agenda for the women suffrage movement was for equalization of education as well as employment opportunities for women.
Later on, attempts were made to give women the right to vote. The inclusion of voting did not happen across the country, but individual states gave the right to the women. Several years later, other states gave voting rights to women, even the right to participate in presidential elections. The increased advocacy to women rights yielded fruits as more women were elected to the congress. After women leaders made it to congress, they brought with them amendments to the constitution, which addressed issues affecting women.
Initial attempts to introduce the amendments failed at the floor of the house, as the majority did not support. In 1918, however, the two major political parties embraced the amendments, which required two-thirds of the votes to pass. In 1920, the amendments were ratified, which led to equality with men. The amendment prohibited the discrimination of voting rights based on sex.
The impact of the great depression cut across all genders. During that time, however, jobs were allocated based on sex. Substantial industrial works were mostly done by men, while women mainly worked in service industries. Women did clerical work, nursing, telephone operating, and teaching. Although jobs were significantly affected during the great depression, workers in service industries did not suffer as much. Women in these areas, however, had pay cuts and worked a long time without receiving salaries. Most families relied on women for sustenance because they were the breadwinners.
While employment levels for men drastically reduced during the great depression, the reverse happened for women. In 1930, more than ten million women joined the workforce and were principal providers. The numbers rose by 3 million in 1940. Although women performed almost parallel tasks, about economic productivity, they were not equally paid. Society, as well as some industries, refused to accept women’s employment, as it was seen as robbing men of their rightful places. Some colleges went to the extreme of not admitting women to pursue some academic courses because it was a reserve of the men.
The challenge of employment was notably more significant for women of color. Most employers preferred white women to other races. Black and Hispanic women worked as domestic workers or casual laborers on farms. In 1938, an act regarding minimum wage was passed, requiring employers to ensure their workers worked for a limited time with specific provisions. Many cities had specific locations where women seeking domestic work would wait for employment from wealthier members of society. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt championed policies regarding equality and women issues.
The great depression is also the period where women suffered greatly at home. The financial crisis took center stage in most homes as the household’s needs competed for limited resources. Relations between husband and wife took a strain as most women became financial pillars at home, a duty previously taken by men. The tight household budget deprives homes of simple pleasures like family holidays. Most husbands deserted their homes due to these financial pressures. Divorce cases rose, and many people opted not to marry because of limited resources. As a result, childbearing rates declined and coupled adopted the use of contraceptives to control family sizes.
Rosie the Riveter is an iconic woman figure famous in World War 11. She was a modern girl who effortlessly engaged in masculine activities. World War 11 gave women a chance to earn an income by working in industries. Women fought to have positions in those industries and wanted to remain in those jobs after the war. Some women who were unable to retain their jobs used the wages they had earned to establish their households. Rosie was a metaphorical term used to describe women who took up jobs that were patriarchal. These women joined the workforce in their countries to uplift their economic standards and, by extension, the quality of their life. Riveters had a wealth of experience in wars and industries.
The image of Rosie the Riveter was painted so that women would be enticed to join the workforce as their patriotic duty. The joined forces of women in the workforce made winning the war easier. Men were physically involved in the fight, while women supported their families economically. By 1944, women were part of trade unions. At the end of World War 11, most women preferred to continue working outside their homes. It was during this time that married women outnumbered single women in the workforce.
Baby boomers are a generation of women born between 1946 and 1964. The generation includes women leaders like Opray Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. Women born during this time were critical in the women’s liberation movement. The women were pioneers in many fields and their careers, achieving unprecedented success. The women born in this era were among the first to complete a degree earlier than men. They overtook men in their education and advanced in their careers faster.
By 1990, this generation of women comprised almost 455 of the workforce. More than 25% of the women working had college degrees. The number of lawyers rose to 22% from 3%, while physicians were 17%. Baby boomers generation was unique as they cared for their parents as well as their children while working.