3-The Changing Role and Status of Women Flashcards
women suffrage
1918-ROPA limit to women over 30 . 8.5 million
BUT
- only 17 parliament candidates and only 1 won - Constance Markivicz
MPs worried the “flapper vote” was to emotional and irresponsible to vote
National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship out pressure on MPs
1926: organises a sustained campaign - regular meetings in Hyde park
3,500 women gathered for equal rights demonstration
- relied on sympathy of goodwill MPs - those who thought women would be advantageous
1928: universal suffrage on equal terms
women in politics
structure and attitudes of main parties
NUSEC lacked expertise and party machinery
1928: split
labour and tory recognised need for women but did not want to loose any safety seats
+ failed to promote female issues
female groups were incorporated into national organisations where outnumbered by men
- women made important contributions to social policies : criminal law amendment act +bastardy act
(social issues, health care education - extension of traditional expertise+ cannot juggle being MP in west minsiter
more local than national level BUT still only 5% local councillors women 1918-39
* AND Fell after 1929- poor law guardians replaced with the PAC (usually men)
by 1945- male MPs were growing used to considering female issues more seriously, influence a range of social legislation passed post war
work
1914: 3.3 million working women
1918: 4.8 million
BUT trade unions reinstated men post war
Sex disqualification removal Act 1919- removed the gender bar in the civil service and law = incentive to to consider other professions
1919 Restoration of Pre War Practices Act = women who had been employed in factories were forced to return to pre war employment or stop working
+ “marriage Bar’ (expectation to stop working once married) was re established
1941: women who worked as engineers, transport or chemical industry
14% in 1939
33% in 1945
+ farmers in Womens Land Army
= wider male acceptance of women as workers outside of their traditional roles between wars
little movement towards achieving equal pay and opportunities for women
1931: 90% of married women did not work , almost same figure at 1911 - not able to get unemployment benefit due to pay rule to be a supplement of her husband’s
women should work for “pin money”
social life
contaception and marriage
work = extra money , independence and sociability = permanent shift in female aspirations beyond the home
“flappers” - smoking , dresses
1918- published Married Love advoacitng birth control and sexual fulfilment - BUT printed information was banned under obscenity laws
1921- first birth control clinic in London
(despite opposition from medical professions and and conservative groups - demand for birth control groups saw the spread)
1923- wife could divorce her husband on adultery BUT men were still dominant , houses in husbands names = financially dependent
Marriage seen as main goal until 1960s/70s - glamorised in magazines
1969: Divroce Reform Act enabled dicorce after 2 years due to irreconcivle differences
pre act it had been very dififcult and expensive
divorce rates
* 1965- 3/1000
* 1976-10/1000
cult of domesticity in 1918 - 39. governments encouraged women to stay at home , emphasising that the breeding oh healthy babies was a national duty . aided by state run infant welfare centres . motherhood and employment were depicted as being totally incompatible
“good housekeeping” - magazine was most widely read
1950- gaurdian reported that 50% of women were bored in their tradtional role - risne to 1/3 in 1971
women in trade unions
demand for female insudtribal labour during WW1 = many joined trade unions
although many unions rejected female membership or accepted for a temp period, the need for female help enabled political progress at a national level
Bondfield (suffrage and TU activist) served in Central Committee for womens employment
* deliberate steps to increase female trade union membership
* 1970-79: 2.6 million to 3.8 million (30% of TU)
BUT most unions remained highly masculine until 1980s
Impact of second world war on women in politics
- in recognition of impact of war - women abandoned strict party loyalty in favour for cross party cooperation
- 1939 Nancy Astor ( first woman to take seat in parliament BUT due to having a wealthy husband)- adress specific female issues in parliament
- 1940: set up womens power commitee to investigate and promote female issues
- 1941: Bevin - set up Womens consulutative committe to manage female participation in war economy
- led to registration and conscription of women to work during war
- Maud Tate- secured equal injury consempation for men and women
- BUT similar tallks - unable to secure legislation to award with equal work and equal pay
Post War impact on Politics
- effectibe assertion during the war, women unable to press home possible gains for female representation in parliament
- 1944/55- 24 females /630 MPS
- candiadte selection - rarely would risk safe seats for women - had large oppositon
- HAD to have exceptional qualities . -> had most chance of promotion to ministerial offices
- post war- more determined to be seen as a well rounded poltiican > than advoated for womens issues
- loss of cross party cohension weakned female rights advocacy
1970s - barbra Castle (harold wilson government) - extra parliamentary womens movements to secure womens issues back on the agenda
- 1970- equal pay act
- pension reforms and child benefit refroms
Womens liberation movement
- focused on boarder polticial advacement outside of parliament
- Authors - focus on inequalities of partiacrhail society
- Femine mystique and Female Eunuch - best sellers
- highlight how women would remain deconf class citizrns unless stood up to male dominated state of affaits
- 1968 - female Ford car factory strike - triggered action and national attention
- 1970: ‘Womens Lib’ meeting in oxford- focus on
- education, equal pay, childcare, contraception and abortions
Women Work Post War
1945
Labour saving devices - less time to do chores (in theory)
labour makret shift - icnrease in part time and semi/unskilled jobs = female employment
1965- 60% had an unskilled job
ecouraged by:
1970: Equal Pay Act (encouraged by 3 week Ford Factory strike)
National Joint Action Commitee for Womens Rights - pressire on unions to adopt equal rights target
1975: Employment Protection Act - cant sack pregannt and give 6 weeks maternity leave
1975: sex Discrimination Act
BUT
women continued to experince a glass ceiling
* unequal pay
* imapct of motherhood on carrer progression
* women still took unskilled work due to pressure of motherhood
social life
domestic
cult of domesticity in 1918 - 39. governments encouraged women to stay at home , emphasising that the breeding oh healthy babies was a national duty . aided by state run infant welfare centres . motherhood and employment were depicted as being totally incompatible
“good housekeeping” - magazine was most widely read
1950- gaurdian reported that 50% of women were bored in their tradtional role - risne to 1/3 in 1971
- lack of nuseries = time consuming and limited ability to work
- highly dependent on husband
- 1946: national Insurance Act - women could not claim child benefits is not working (UNTIL 1978)
- womens work at home was hardly recognised in divorce proceddings
- Helped by labour saving devices
Role Models
* the growth in media of women not as damsels or desier objects was slow before 1980s - reinforce sterotype
* coronation street - 1960s - provided more female assertive role models
* = greater want for freedom
